The Darkness Comes
by Winddragon Eternal
Summary: When an unknown chipmunk stumbles into the Seville household, the Chipmunks take him in as one of their own. Little do they know of their new friend's dark powers, or the consequences his presence will bring. Introducing my OC, Phelan!
1. Peril Descends

_Hello once again, my fellow readers! I'm sorry I haven't been updating as of late because I'm stuck with a case of the block. Rest assured, I'm still continuing my other stories, but this is a brand new idea I've decided to work on while I'm stuck._

_This story brings forth a brand new original chipmunk of my own: Phelan. Originally, I had suggested him to be a part of Periosha's The Final Stand. While he didn't exactly make the cut, I thought, "Hey, he sounds interesting enough, it'll be a waste if I didn't use him as my own." Plus, I found it comfortable to be writing along the supernatural angle._

_My next thought was: "Maybe this should be a Halloween special", but I'm anxious that I might lose that spark if I delay it for too long. _

_So without further ado, I hope you'll enjoy this story as much as I had fun writing it!  
_

**Chapter 1: Peril Descends**

The tranquillity of the forest was shaken by the sound of rustling leaves. Seconds later, a chipmunk burst from the clearing and ran on all fours, as fast as his paws could carry him. He let the wind lift his paws off the ground with every stride, the tails of his black trench coat flapping against the breeze.

There was fear written in those green eyes of his, but he would not show it. All that mattered now was to get somewhere safe, and fast. He couldn't dare to turn his back for the slightest moment.

For he could feel that thing's presence; breathing hot on his heels.

While the full moon tonight illuminated the way in front of the chipmunk, he wasn't sure as to where to go. He'd never felt this lost before, but then again, there was never a time when he had felt safe and secure from the creature that threatened his existence.

He ran and ran until he was sure that whatever was stalking him had stopped its pursuit. As the black-clad chipmunk paused to catch his breath, a voice rang throughout the forest, icy and sinister, as though a snake had been given a voice it could taunt others with.

_You can run, my little chipmunk, but you can't hide forever..._

A bead of sweat trickled down his brown-mahogany fur, but the chipmunk felt more anger than fear as he growled in frustration. Clenching his fists, he punched the nearest tree, not caring that his sheer strength brought the trunk crashing to the ground. He lifted his head to the empty moonlit sky and screamed at the top of his lungs.

"I'm not your slave anymore! So get the hell away from me and find someone else to do your bidding!"

_Wrong answer, rodent..._

Dark tendrils shot from underneath the ground. They were black and as long and thick as pythons, and they wrapped themselves tightly around the chipmunk, lifting him in mid-air as the life was slowly, but painstakingly squeezed out of him. Any creature caught in its grasp would have given in to its first instinct and struggle to escape, but the chipmunk knew better, as any signs of attempting to fight back would only tighten its coils, resulting in the bones and windpipe being crushed.

You see, he wasn't just any ordinary nut-gathering chipmunk.

He had the power of darkness on his side.

From his suspension above ground, the chipmunk could see the shadows of the trees all around him, and he blessed his lucky stars that the tendrils had not completely blocked his right paw from moving. Willing the powers of his conscience, he summoned the shadows into his paw until a dark, almost fiery-like blade extended from his arm. He hacked and slashed, and the tendrils withered away into nothingness as the chipmunk landed to the ground, free once more.

There was no time to waste. If the tendrils were able to catch up to him from afar, then the creature would gain on him any moment now. He picked up his speed and took off, just as a wave of darkness began to cloak the forest clearing, leaving whatever stood in its way into nothing but a pitch-black void.

As the chipmunk ran on, he came to a sudden realisation. The flurry of leaves had finally stopped hitting him in the face. The chipmunk breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, he'd reached the edge of the forest. There was no way that foul creature would have the courage to strike out in the presence of light, manmade or not.

Ahead of him was a quiet and empty street, illuminated by a row of lamp-posts. There were these houses of similar shapes, as though they were all built by the same creator. For a chipmunk, it would have been ridiculous to go up to any of them and ask whoever lived in there to spare some food and shelter. But he wasn't going to give up so easily. One of the houses was probably still awake, as the only light it had was in one of the upper windows. He sighed as he rolled his eyes.

"Oh, what the heck."

Making sure that no one else was around; he blended deeply into the shadows of everything he could see until he reached the porch of the said house. There was a tree that grew proudly in the garden, and several of its branches grew close to the lit window. His natural instincts kicked in as he scampered up the tree with ease and sat on a branch that was able to support his weight.

Looking through the window, he couldn't believe what he saw. It was a bedroom, but in it were three chipmunks, just like him! Probably brothers, too. They were wearing what seemed to be pyjamas, but each had a distinctive colour. One was wearing a red cap to go along with his red PJs, another in glasses wore blue, and the third one, slightly round on the sides, was clad in a one-suit pair of green pyjamas.

A stab of envy crossed the chipmunk's mind as he watched the three brothers talk about something inaudible, but they looked lively and were willing to hear each other out. He sighed. Nobody had ever welcomed him as a friend before, and he couldn't remember when he had a real family.

There was no time to ponder on his memories as his ears perked up. Something was wrong.

The darkness had found him here.

More tendrils came for him out of nowhere, but he stood his ground as he summoned an orb of darkness in his paw and blasted those wretched creepers into ash.

But what he didn't know was those tendrils were nothing more than a distraction.

The real attack came straight for him in the form of a dark fireball.

It hit the chipmunk square in the chest.

He wanted to scream, but the pain was so unbearable, it seemed to have numbed his senses with a thousand hot needles piercing through his fur. He struggled to regain his balance, but the impact caused him to lose his footing as the branch snapped and he plummeted to the ground with a sickening crunch.

The noise would have been loud enough to wake up the whole neighbourhood.

As the chipmunk looked at his chest, he swore as he noticed a black bruise, followed by the horrible feeling of being burned alive. Fighting to stay awake, he stumbled to the front door and pounded frantically on its surface with whatever strength he had left.

What he didn't realise was that his choice of actions would change the course of his life forever...

* * *

"Alvin, for the last time, please go to sleep!" groaned Simon as he covered his face with his pillow.

The red-clad chipmunk sat on his bed and crossed his arms, scowling. "Simon, how can I possibly get any sleep? It's only thirty-one days left till Halloween, and do you know what that means?"

Theodore looked confused. "What's this about, Alvin?"

"He's obsessed with looking the scariest on Halloween night so that he can scare everybody on the streets; as well as getting the most candy," Simon explained dryly.

Theodore's answer was a simple "Oh," and he pulled his teddy closer. "I-I'm always s-s-s-scared of Halloween! There's g-g-goblins and ghosts and vampires and w-w-w-werewolves-"

"And let's not forget the candy!" reminded Alvin.

"Oh yeah, candy!" Theodore's fear was instantly replaced by the happiness he felt for food.

Simon opened his mouth, about to reassure Theo that it was pointless to be scared of a holiday when suddenly, there came a loud crash. All three of them jumped in shock and ran to the window.

"W-what was that?" asked Theodore, his eyes wide in fear.

Simon adjusted his glasses. "Sounds like it came from the backyard. But it's dark, I can't see anything."

"There! In the bushes!" yelled Alvin, pointing a finger. "Someone's watching us!"

They looked closely at Alvin's direction. True enough, there was a dark, shadowy figure on the ground, a fallen branch by its side.

"He must have tried to climb up the tree to get into our window!" gasped Simon. "Y-you don't think?"

"That he's a burglar! Yeah, he must want to sneak into our house!" shouted Alvin. "Well, I think we should give him a piece of our mind!"

"Boys, what's with all that racket? I thought I told you to _go to sleep_!"

Dave marched into the room, looking all bleary-eyed and deeply annoyed.

Theodore ran into Dave's arms. "There's a burglar outside our house! He tried to climb up our tree but he fell down!"

"A burglar? Boys, this is serious. I hope you're not making this up."

As if in reply, a series of loud, heavy knocks rattled on the door, sending cold shivers down the chipmunks' spines as they cowered behind Dave.

"It's the burglar, I tell you! Would we be making this up?" stammered Alvin, trying desperately to sound brave.

"Alright, we'll all go together and see who's at the door. If it's really a burglar, Alvin, you knock him out real hard, and I'll call the police," said Dave. He was starting to sound a little nervous.

"Me? Why do I have to do the hard stuff?" asked Alvin.

"Just shut up and do as you're told!" snapped Simon.

Alvin grabbed a baseball bat, Simon was holding a thick encyclopedia, and Theodore, well, there wasn't anything for him to grab a hold of, so he held tight onto his teddy.

They trudged quietly down the stairs, with Dave in the lead.

On the count of three, Dave reached forward and opened the door.

They gasped at the figure that stood wearily before them.

It was a chipmunk, clad in nothing but a long, black trench coat. He was about the same height as Alvin, which would have made him just the same age as the boys, if not younger.

His brown-mahogany fur, even darker than Simon's, was all tufted and pointy, giving him a feral appearance that he somehow looked more like a wolf than a chipmunk. There was life burning in those forest-green eyes, but they crackled with the flames of fear and dread, as well as the look that said so on his face.

He could hardly speak; his breaths coming in sharp, long gasps, but he managed three words:

"Please...help me..."

Then his knees gave way and his world turned black.

* * *

_To Be Continued..._

_In case you missed it, that mysterious dark chipmunk is Phelan. What is he trying to escape from? And how will the Chipmunks be able to help him? Find out on the next chapter!_

There's nothing more to make a writer happy than the fact that he is adknowledged for his work. So please, review and comment, okay? :)


	2. Introductions

**Chapter 2: Introductions**

Distant, blaring sounds droned in the chipmunk's ears like a swarm of angry bees. There was nothing distinguishable about those noises, but he willed himself to calm down as he slowly regained his senses, though his sight was still. Now he could pick out voices that were speaking, almost as high-pitched and squeaky as his.

"But what if he's really d-d-dead?"

"Don't worry about a thing, Theodore. I checked his pulse rate, and he's still breathing. Besides, he's only got a few bumps and bruises. All he needs is a few days of rest and some food."

"As ridiculous as Theo might be, he's got a point. _What if he dies on us? _We can't keep a body in the house! We'll be wanted for murder by the police! We'll be on the CIA's most wanted list!"

"Alvin, will you please stop over-exaggerating! You're scaring Theodore!" This time, it was the voice of a human's; probably a male in his mid-forties.

A tiny pulse flared through the chipmunk's body, and something snapped within him. He jerked a little.

"Look! He moved!"

"He lives! We're saved!"

"That's great! Boys, can you hand me a hot towel?"

* * *

When the chipmunk came to his senses at last, he found himself lying on a couch in a huge living room. There was a thin blanket wrapped over him, and as he looked closer, he was glad to see that he was still wearing his trench coat, but his chest had been wrapped in bandages.

"Aaahhhh! He's got rabies! Just look at him, he's got that wild look in his eyes! And he stinks! Run for your life! Call an exterminator! Anything!"

"Alvin, for the last time, shut up and hand me that bowl!"

The chipmunk turned his head slowly. Standing in front of him were the three chipmunks he'd encountered by the bedroom window, as well as a man with jet-black hair in a nightgown. The one who freaked out at the sight of him was clad in red pyjamas, while the one in glasses and blue PJs must've told his brother to shut up. The littlest chipmunk was wearing a one-piece in green, and he carried a tray in his hands.

He tried to get up, but his skull was throbbing with every heartbeat, as though attempting to burst out of its place.

"Ow, my head," groaned the black-clad chipmunk. "W-where am I?"

One of the brothers, holding the tray, reached forward with a bowl of piping hot orange liquid. It smelled delicious. "Here, drink this. You'll need to gain your strength back."

He took the bowl and carefully sipped its contents. The taste of sweet and tanginess sang praises in his throat, and before he knew it, he had drained the entire bowl in several gulps.

"That's great! What is it?"

"That's Theodore's pumpkin soup. It's always good for the soul," said the bespectacled chipmunk in blue, which caused the littlest one to blush in pride.

As he felt his strength coming back, the mysterious chipmunk felt a warm feeling in his chest. Instinctively, he reached out and took off the bandages. Everyone gaped at what they saw. There were no signs of any bruises or gashes on his chest, for it was now just an empty patch of skin, ready to heal itself in time to come.

"Gee, I didn't know my soup was that great!" beamed the little chipmunk, whose name had to be Theodore.

Deep inside, he beamed with relief. _What do you know? Maybe I'm stronger than I thought I was. The darkness can't win inside of me._

His silence was shattered by a loud exclamation. The one whose name was Alvin pointed a finger at him. "Okay buster, we want the truth right now! Who are you; and what are you doing here?"

The black-clad chipmunk cleared his throat.

"My name is Phelan, and-"

"Now hold on a sec!" Alvin cut in. "What kind of a funny name is that?" He got a nudge in the ribs by his blue-clad brother in reply.

"Phelan. It's an Irish name." As the boys listened, they were able to notice a rather unique accent in their guest's voice. It sounded mystical and distant, as though he came from the highlands.

"Are you sure that you're absolutely Irish?" asked Alvin, staring Phelan directly in the eye.

"Well, I don't know. I mean, I've travelled the world. Never been in an exact spot all my life," said Phelan, looking thoughtful. "Perhaps I was Irish at one time."

"Then prove it! Sing _My Wild Irish Rose_!" demanded the red-capped chipmunk.

"Alvin, stop being so rude! That's no way to treat our guest!" warned their father.

"What? I just wanted to know if the guy's really Irish!"

"Alvin!"

"Come on Dave, don't you want to find out, too?"

"ALVIN!"

"Uh, sorry about that. I think we're getting off on the wrong foot. We should introduce ourselves. As you can tell, that's Alvin, our over-the-top brother. I'm Simon, and he's Theodore. And this is our dad, but we call him Dave."

Phelan blinked. "You mean, you're Alvin and the Chipmunks? As in the world's number one pre-teen animal band?"

"Well, glad to see that someone notices us!" beamed Alvin.

"Nice to meet you, Phelan," said Dave, ignoring his oldest son's remarks. "But may I ask what were you doing on my son's bedroom window?"

"I was looking for somewhere to sleep. Then I noticed the light in the window. So I climbed up to get a better look. I guess I must've been so tired, that I lost my footing and fell."

"But what about your parents? Doesn't your mother look out for you?"

"I don't have a mother. She died when I was about a week old."

"Oh, we're sorry to hear that," said Dave.

"That's okay. I never knew much about her," shrugged Phelan, as though it was no big deal. "I've lived on my own and fended for myself most of the time. That's the best thing about being solo, you know, you come and go as you please."

"Well, it's glad to know that you're safe and alright. Boys, would you mind sharing your room with Phelan? It's getting late, and I'm sure every chipmunk needs his sleep," said Dave.

"That's nice of you to give me your hospitality, but I really should get going. I don't want to be a bother to you guys." Phelan got up and was about to head for the door when Dave stopped him.

"Nonsense, you're our guest. And as one of us, you're welcome to stay here for as long as you like."

Phelan was confused. "One of us?"

"Yeah, we're the Chipmunks!" said Theodore. "And us chipmunks should stick together."

"Well..." He didn't want to admit it, but Phelan was certainly exhausted and going back out there would mean an instant death sentence. Besides, with all the lights and protection, he was sure that the creature wouldn't dare to strike for the time being. "Okay, I'm in."

"Great to hear that! Now why don't you show Phelan up to your room? We all really need to get to sleep. I'll see you guys in the morning. Goodnight."

"Night, Dave."

"And don't forget to call me if you need anything."

"We will!"

* * *

Phelan was lost in his thoughts as the Chipmunks escorted him to their bedroom. Then he said:

"Could I use your bathroom, please? That shower idea sounds really great."

Simon smiled at their guest. "Hey, just ignore Alvin and his blabbermouth, alright? Most of the time, he's all talk and no show."

"Excuse me!"

"Actually, your brother's got a point," said Phelan as he paused to sniff his trench coat. "I don't smell too great at all. Plus, I'm dying to get myself all clean and neat."

"Well, if you're sure about that..." Simon handed Phelan a towel and a pair of Alvin's spare pyjamas.

"Hey, why do I have to share my PJs with him! It's not like I'm the only one with spare clothes!" pouted Alvin.

"Will you please stop being a baby? He's roughly about your height, so your clothes will have to fit him for now! Besides, I see you're not pulling any weight around here, so it's the least you could do," reasoned Simon.

"Alright, alright. Would you like me to take his Highness's clothes to the laundry, too?"

"It's alright. I'm sure I can manage." And with that, Phelan walked into the bathroom.

Theodore was the first to speak out. "For our guest, he's kind of awfully polite."

Alvin rolled his eyes. "Hmph! It's all a trick, I tell you. He'll wait till we've all fallen asleep, and then he'll gut us alive!"

"Whatever. Come on, we should help Phelan settle in for the night," said Simon.

"You know, maybe we should just let him sleep in Cookie Chomper's bed."

"Alvin!"

* * *

Phelan locked the bathroom door behind him and threw off his trench coat. He sighed as he caught his reflection in the mirror. Though the patch where the dark flames had burned off his skin still appeared red and raw, there were a few scars that appeared on the chipmunk's lightly-built body. These were the scars of time, as well as the black tattoo that was etched on his right shoulder; its pattern flowed like ink on his fur.

Phelan delved into the pocket of his coat and pulled out something that he'd kept a secret, clutching it in his palm. A necklace, with a golden chain and a sparkling oval gem of pure whiteness – a piece of the moon which Phelan carried around with him all the time.

_Those chipmunks, and their father, they've been really nice to me. I can't possibly put them in a dangerous situation as I am._

_Then why don't you do something about it_, his conscience fought back. _Just tell them the truth._

_No. I'm sorry, but I can't tell them about myself yet. I just can't do it. _

Phelan pocketed the necklace. He would keep the rest of his thoughts to himself tonight. For now, he stood in the showers and let the hot waters ease the tension off his muscles, seeping through his fur and giving him a fresh new life of its own.

* * *

"Wow, you look just like Alvin!" said Theodore, and Simon nodded in approval.

With his fur matted down and his new wardrobe of pyjamas, Phelan looked almost identical to Alvin, from his tufted hair down to his tail, but with a darker blend of fur. Of course, he was careful enough to pull the sleeves down in order to conceal his tattoo, which no one was able to notice.

Phelan made his way over to the side of Theodore's bed, where a mattress had been put up by the floor in order to accommodate space and room for one more.

"Here you go." Theodore was holding his stuffed bunny, which he handed over to Phelan.

"What's that?"

"It's my bunny. If you're having any trouble at night, you can sleep with him," beamed the little chipmunk.

"Theodore, I'm pretty sure that Phelan's a big boy and he won't have time to sleep with silly bunnies!" said Alvin, folding his arms.

"Oh." Theodore looked a little crestfallen and was about to turn away when Phelan patted him gently on the shoulder. He smiled at the instant glow of happiness on Theodore's face.

"I'll keep him safe, I promise," said Phelan as he took the bunny from Theodore.

The lights went off. "Goodnight," yawned Alvin.

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Was it a nightly ritual? Phelan thought it would be fun to join in. "Um...goodnight."

As he lay down on the soft and fluffy mattress, Phelan felt something he'd never felt before – closeness. This must be what it feels like to have a family, to have people you can talk to and show that you care for them.

And for the first time in his life, Phelan closed his weary eyes and dreamt a long and blissful slumber.

* * *

That night, Alvin couldn't sleep.

_He was running aimlessly through a black and white forest, while the wolves howled their haunting chorus in the distance. Not looking where he was going, he stumbled on a wild root and fell flat on his face. The call of the hunt still echoed throughout the night._

_A cold shiver ran down Alvin's spine. It was just like the time when he'd had nightmares about monsters and werewolves, but deep inside, he knew that things were about to get worse._

_Much worse._

_Without warning, a claw lunged out from the darkness. It raked at Alvin's chest, tearing the fur apart and sending a wave of pain searing across his chest. Alvin screamed, but for only a second. He was expecting to start dying from his wounds, but instead of blood, more fur grew from his chest. His paws elongated into claws, and his buck teeth became sharp, pointed fangs. He felt stronger, wilder; almost uncontrollable, like a monster. He wanted to scream, but all that came from him was a long and mournful howl._

_He prowled the ground on all fours, craving one thing in particular. The taste of meat._

_In front of him were Simon and Theodore, cowering in fear. His mind immediately recognised them, but his brain was sending a different message altogether. Kill them. Satisfy your taste buds._

_As a feral animal, he was a slave to his own brain. He howled again and pounced._

When Alvin woke with a start, he was bathed in his own sweat and his teeth were chattering in fear. Pulling the covers over him, he tried desperately to get back to sleep, but he couldn't remember the dream at all.

* * *

_To Be Continued_

_Hopefully, with this lengthy chapter, you will understand a little bit about my OC. Feel free to ponder on the mystery that is him. What's with that necklace? Is the truth too much to bear? And does Alvin have the right to be shifty around Phelan?_

_Regardless of what you might think, this isn't a werewolf story. It's just a part of Phelan's dark powers._

_See you in the next chapter! :)_


	3. Acceptance

**Chapter 3: Acceptance**

Daylight crept through the open window, its gentle rays shining on Phelan's face as he blinked and wiped the sleep away from his green eyes. Now that his fur was standing up on its ends, he looked more like his usual wolf-like chipmunk self. The beds were empty and still unmade, which Phelan assumed that everybody else was downstairs. As he stretched his back, he realized that he'd almost forgotten about his trench coat, but he couldn't seem to find it anywhere.

A sudden wave of anxiety hit him. _The necklace!_

Phelan rushed out of the room, taking three steps down at a time as his feet barely made any sounds. He found his hosts in the dining room, waiting for Theodore to serve breakfast.

"Good morning, Phelan," said Dave. "I trust you had a good night's sleep?"

"Has anyone seen my trench coat?" the chipmunk blurted out.

"Oh, I put it in the washing machine along with the other dirty laundry. Don't worry; you'll get your coat back as good as new."

A gasp escaped Phelan's breath. "No! Please wait, I was supposed to empty out its pockets, and-"

"Were you looking for this?" Dave held up the golden chain. The white gem caught the light of the morning sun, and now it turned a deep-blue.

Phelan heaved a sigh of relief.

"If my memory serves me correctly, what you have here is adularia, a mineral more commonly known as the moonstone." Simon couldn't resist showing off a bit of his knowledge as Phelan put it around his neck.

"That bling sure is shiny," said Alvin. "It must be worth a fortune! Why don't you just sell it on E-Bay or something?"

His questions earned him a sharp, but brief glare from Phelan.

"This necklace is more than just a keepsake. It was my mother's. It's all I have to remember her by."

He was saved from any further questions as Theodore came into the dining room. The chubby little chipmunk set the plates in front of everyone. "Breakfast is served! Eat up!"

Phelan looked at his plate. On it was two slices of bread, but they were golden-brown and the crust was hard. He bent forward and sniffed cautiously at the food, allowing the wafting aroma of eggs and butter to embrace his nostrils.

Theodore wasn't the only one who looked confused. "You mean you've never heard of French toast before?"

"Oh, so that's what it's called?" asked Phelan, licking his lips. And without picking up a fork or knife, he held the toast in his paws and wolfed it down. Within seconds, his plate was crumb-free. Phelan licked the tips of his fingers as he savoured the aftertaste of butter.

He sat and waited as the Chipmunks and Dave finished their breakfast, and then asked as the boys got up for the door. "Where are you guys heading off to?"

"We're going over to visit the Chipettes," said Theodore. "They're our best friends. Would you like to join us?"

Go outside? The thought of it sounded like a death trap to Phelan, especially in the light of last night's events. He made up an excuse on the spot.

"Oh, I don't think I'll be able to follow you. My chest's acting a little funny. Perhaps it would be better if I stayed and rest myself thoroughly."

"Okay, if you say so," said Alvin. "Well, we were just about to discuss our last minute plans for tonight's sleepover. Brittany and the others are coming, you know. It'll be great for you to get to know them, but I suppose that can wait until tonight. See you!"

The door slammed shut. "Yeah, that would be great," mumbled Phelan to himself.

As he walked over to the couch and sat down, Dave came over to him. "If you need me, I'll be in the kitchen washing the dishes. Do you think you can be all by yourself for a while?"

"Don't worry, Dave. I'm a big chipmunk. I'm sure I can manage, even for a couple more days," smiled Phelan.

Dave winked back at him and headed for the kitchen to finish his chores.

Once Dave was out of sight, Phelan hopped off the couch, landing as agile as a cat's footing. His watchful gaze swept across the room when something caught the corner of his eye.

There was a section of the living room that hid itself in the dimness of the light, away from the curtains and the sun. Phelan stepped into the shadows, feeling a surge of strength fuelling his body. Hesitantly, the chipmunk reached out for the shadows cast by the hall mirror and grabbed it. It felt like silk in his paws, only darker and the feeling that it was somewhat contaminated.

He glanced at himself in the glass. And gaped in horror.

Phelan jumped a step back, the wind being knocked out of him. One might have thought that a wild chipmunk like Phelan had never seen his own reflection before.

Except that the thing in the mirror wasn't entirely Phelan at all.

Instead of his usual mahogany fur, another chipmunk stood in his exact spot; its fur as black as a panther. Bloodshot crimson eyes stared back at him. Phelan cautiously approached his reflection while the other Phelan did exactly the same, an exact look of confusion and dread etched on both faces.

He reached out and laid a hand against his reflection's own, as though hoping that he could fade through the glass and become one with his glassy self.

_I see things haven't been looking so _bright_ with you lately. _The other Phelan sneered at the mention of the pun intended.

"What d'you think you're doing? You're not supposed to be here!" hissed the chipmunk.

_On the contrary, I have every right to be here, same as you do. I am you; after all, as you are me._

"What do you want? I told you I'm through with doing your bidding. Go find someone else to be your puppet!"

But his reflection was either not bothering to listening, or the fact that it was simply doing its job – reflecting.

_Darkness loves you. You embrace it like a lover and you see the world through its eyes and what is now was. What was sweet is now bitter. Everything smells like poison. _

This can't be happening. I can't be talking to my own reflection, thought Phelan. He clamped his hands over his ears and mumbled over and over to himself under his breath.

"I'm not mad. I'm not mad. I'm not mad. I'm not mad-"

_Oh, now that can't be helped with. I'm mad. You're mad. We're all mad. Even the great Alvin and the Chipmunks have some level of madness. Or else we wouldn't subject ourselves to this pitiful world._

While the other Phelan moved exactly as its true master, yet the face of deceit and evil was clearly that of its own. It spoke again.

_You think that being accepted into a house means that you can play happy family and start all over again. But that's where you're wrong._

_You have your own life, Phelan. Come back to the way things used to be. _

"That part of my life died a long time ago," spat the chipmunk. "And my new life says you can go to hell."

The other Phelan clicked his tongue in sympathy.

_Interesting choice of words. For you see, Phelan, I am in my rightful place. But you, on the other hand, are not. You must accept who you really are. Your destiny is as clear as the mark on your fur._

Phelan rolled up his sleeve. The tattoo seemed to burn deeper into his arm, making its presence even more ominous.

_You can't keep the truth from them forever, you know. They'll find out soon – the hard way. In time. And when they know of what you truly are, they'll get rid of you, because to them, you're a freak._

"You're wrong!" yelled Phelan, but deep down, he knew of the probabilities that might lead to the possible outcome.

_They'll hate you, like everyone else, because you're an outcast._

"I don't want to hear another word!"

_An abomination of creation._

"Stop it!"

_You – are a destroyer._

"Shut up! SHUT UP!"

In his rage, Phelan clenched his fist and threw a punch at his other self's face. The contact was timely blocked by his reflection's movements, but the force of the impact sent a web of cracks scattering across the cold, glassy surface. In those last few seconds before the mirror crumbled away like falling raindrops, the chipmunk saw his reflection wink menacingly back at him.

_Remember this; you will never escape from me. You are my vessel, and you will be mine. Forever... _

Phelan could do nothing but stare aimlessly at the floor and the broken shards. He cared not for the throbbing of his cut paw, but he knew that he shouldn't have lost his temper at an inanimate object. And for the first time in the longest time ever – Phelan broke down.

Dave came running in and saw Phelan cradling his hand; the shards of broken glass scattered the floor. "What's going on? Phelan, what happened to you?"

"I – I punched the glass. It was my fault," sniffed Phelan, not able to look up at Dave. It was better to tell at least half of the truth. "I s-shouldn't have done that. I lost my temper. I'm so sorry."

Dave immediately scooped Phelan into his arms and carried him to the kitchen sink. He didn't say anything as he tended carefully to the chipmunk's wounds and wrapped a bandage around his paw.

Phelan was the first to break the silence. "I'm really, really sorry, Dave. I'll pay for the damage, I swear."

"It's alright. No harm done at all," smiled Dave as he ruffled Phelan's fur. "Whatever it is, I'm sure that you didn't mean to do it on purpose."

* * *

After the Chipmunks had returned from their visit, Dave called all four of them into the living room. He told them to sit on the couch as he called for an immediate family meeting. The mirror had been taken off its stand and the glass had been swept away, but nobody bothered to bring that subject up. Mostly, it was because Dave was looking very thoughtful that nobody, not even Alvin, had dared to interrupt his state of mind.

Dave was the first to speak. "I've been thinking about this long and hard, and..." He looked at Phelan. "I've decided. I'd like to welcome Phelan as a member of the family."

"What?" all four chipmunks exclaimed in unison. Dave gathered his sons closer to him.

"I took you boys in with open arms and cared for you because I couldn't bear the thought of leaving you out in the wild to fend for yourselves. You were too young to understand it when it happened. But now that you're older, I know you'll do the right thing by not turning your back on somebody who's in great need of your help. He needs love, a proper society, but most of all, a family."

Simon looked thoughtful. "Well, Phelan does look like he has intellectual potential. I'll finally have someone to talk to and share my scientific knowledge with."

"And it'll be nice to have another big brother," beamed Theodore. "Plus, he really likes my food."

"And not to mention," added Simon, looking at Alvin. "It'll be useful to have an extra pair of eyes around the house to keep you out of trouble."

"Now wait a minute!" exclaimed Alvin. "Him, I can bear living with us, but why do you make it sound like trouble follows me around like a magnet?"

"Because it does," said Dave, Simon and Theodore, much to Alvin's dismay and Phelan's amusement. The three brothers turned to face Phelan.

"So, what do you say to that, bro?" asked Alvin.

"Y-you really mean it? I get to stay here?"

"Gee, this is the part where you should say yes!"

Phelan could only nod in amazement.

The red-clad chipmunk put his arm around Phelan and pulled him into a brotherly hug. "I rest my case! Welcome to the family, Phelan Seville!"

All five of them burst into laughter as they got into a group hug. Phelan let his tears flow, but these were pools of happiness; of being touched by extreme kindness and generosity.

There was no other way that Phelan could describe this moment as being one of his happiest, yet the memory of it was the only thing that had kept him happy in the span of his lifetime. For once, he now had somewhere to call his home, and loving people and chipmunks who were now family. And nothing evil could touch him, at least for the time being.

Little did he know that his troubles were far from over...

* * *

_To Be Continued..._

_Well, what do you think? Is Phelan completely sane? Will he learn to be a part of a new family? And will his inner demons spell disaster to the Chipmunks?_

_In the next chapter, Phelan is introduced to the Chipettes and experiences his first sleepover! As is with most sleepovers, Truth or Dare is a must have, and that is what the Chipmunks will play._

_This is where I would like to ask you, dear readers, to send in a truth or dare to be put into the story. It can range from anything, from fluffs to outrageous (but appropriate) dares. Each chipmunk will perform one truth/dare, making it a total of 7._

_So I hope to hear from you, and see you in the next chapter! :)_


	4. Dare Night

**Chapter 4: Dare Night**

Nightfall was approaching as the doorbell rang. Phelan and the chipmunks were already dressed in their pyjamas as they welcomed their guests of honour – the chipettes. Earlier that afternoon, Dave had gone out and bought some clothes for Phelan. Some of them were a shade of green darker than Theodore's clothing, to bring out the depths of his eyes, but Phelan was most overjoyed to receive a yellow jumpsuit, which he wore immediately. Dave laughed and told him that it was supposed to be his nightwear, but he didn't mind as long as his newest son was happy.

Now, Phelan saw three chipmunks almost identical to his new-found brothers, only they were girls and had a distinctive look of their own. With his new set of clothes and his fur brushed and combed down, Phelan looked more like a tame puppy-chipmunk hybrid rather than a feral wolf, which only made him feel a bit akward. The youngest, who had to be Theodore's girlfriend, went up to him first and smiled.

"Oh, is he the special guest you were talking about?"

"Yes. I'd like you to meet, and welcome our newest member of the family, Phelan Seville," introduced Simon.

The three chipettes shook hands with Phelan.

"Pleased to meet you. I'm Eleanor. And these are my sisters, Jeanette and Brittany."

When the eldest chipette stepped forward to introduce herself, Phelan could hardly believe his eyes. Standing in front of him was the most beautiful – no, the most dazzling thing he had ever seen. Her light brown fur shone with elegance, her hair as golden as the first rays of sun, and her eyes – it was her blue eyes that sparkled like sapphires.

He extended a paw for Brittany, who gripped it in a friendly handshake. And then Phelan did something more. He took Brittany's hand and kissed it gently, resulting in a gasp, followed by a pleasant giggle from the chipette.

"It's a pleasure to meet such fine and beautiful ladies as yourselves," smiled Phelan, addressing all three of them at the same time, but he kept his gaze fixed on Brittany, whose cheeks had now turned a shade darker than her nightgown.

Alvin rushed in and swatted Phelan out of the way. "Hey, back off! Keep your paws off my girlfriend!"

"Oh dear, I'm sorry. I was just trying to be nice to our guests," Phelan apologized.

A pout appeared at the corner of Brittany's mouth, as though Alvin's reactions had displeased her entirely. "Why can't you ever treat me that nicely, Alvin? Phelan's just being a gentleman! And I've never seen you kiss me on the hand and call me a lady!" she said, crossing her arms.

"Aw, come on Britt, I always take you out for dates!" reasoned Alvin.

"Yeah, but that's not the same with being given flowers, or saying nice things all the time?"

"Come on, do you really want me to say, 'Gosh Brittany, you're beautiful!' every five seconds, huh?"

Thankfully, the situation was saved by Theodore, who had just come out of the kitchen, the wafting fragrance of butter right behind him.

"I've got the perfect dinner set up!" said Theodore. "We're having toaster waffles!"

Phelan's eyes lit up. "That sounds like fun!" he said enthusiastically. "Does it taste better than French toast?"

It seemed that Theodore was as equally happy as Phelan when it came to the subject of food. "Only the best taste in the whole wide world!"

"Then what are waiting for? Let's eat! I'm starving!"

* * *

After dinner, Phelan got to experience yet another common ritual that took place in the Seville household. And it wasn't just movie night with your best friends, but a quarrel that took place between two certain chipmunks.

Brittany was holding up a DVD with a group of certain vampires framed on the cover. She glared at Alvin. "Stop being so inconsiderate, Alvin! Why can't you let all of us watch something romantic tonight?"

Alvin stared her down with the same ferocity. "Nuh uh! Why do we always have to watch soppy romance? I say we go for action movies!"

"Romance!"

"Action!"

"Romance!"

"Action!"

"Do they argue like that all the time?" asked Phelan when the shouting match had gone on for about five minutes. Jeanette and Eleanor could only nod in reply.

"You could say that it's more of a regular need than a daily basis," muttered Simon dryly. "It's the little things that make big reactions happen."

"Romance!"

"Action!"

"Romance!"

"Action!"

"Enough already! We're never going to watch anything at this rate!" Simon raised his voice, resulting in complete silence. "Jeanette and I will choose tonight's movie, and that's final!"

Nobody said anything as the two bespectacled chipmunks went through film after film, hoping to find a proper selection which would satisfy all parties. Finally, Jeanette came forward with a DVD in her hands. "Hey guys, how about we watch this one?"

Alvin took one look at the cover and blinked. "_Stardust_? Now how did that get into there?"

"It was the first movie that we saw together," Jeanette smiled, putting her hand around Simon.

"Simon, sneaky you! I never knew you were into these kinds of movies!" guffawed Alvin.

The blue-clad chipmunk folded his arms.

"And why not? It has elements of science as well – shooting stars, travelling through space, and lightning in a bottle."

"Well, I say we go for it," said Eleanor, and nobody, not even Brittany said anything to object her.

"Fine, I'm game," said Alvin. "As long as it's nothing to do with teenage vampires!"

* * *

Movie night turned out to be a success as the chipmunks sat with their counterparts, eating popcorn with their eyes glued to the screen. They laughed at the funny bits, oohed and aahed at the swashbuckling parts, and held hands and cuddled up together every time a romantic scene would appear.

As for Phelan, who had never seen a movie before, he took it all in with great awe – the special effects, the storyline, the characters, and the music. Even that one scene where the leading lady delivered a powerful monologue to a mouse about what true love really meant stirred something in Phelan's heart.

And then Phelan realised what it was – a stab of envy. As he stole a glance at Alvin and Brittany snuggled up tightly in each other's arms, they looked at peace with each other and the world, as though that petty argument never even happened at all. Was that what true love was all about, he thought? To be with the one that you were willing to pour out your heart and soul to, and would stand by your side through easy and hard times, no matter the cost?

* * *

When the movie was finished, Dave told them that it was time for bed. Phelan had volunteered to carry the chipettes' sleeping bags up the stairs, while the boys led their counterparts to their room. The floor was decked with seven sleeping bags, all in each of the chipmunks' respective colours but of course, the idea of sleep was far from anyone's mind right now.

"I know what we can do!" grinned Alvin. "Let's play Truth or Dare!"

Everybody groaned, except for Phelan. "What's that?"

"It's a game," explained Eleanor. "First, we use a bottle to choose our 'victim'. If you get picked, you have to choose either to do a truth or a dare. If you pick truth, you must tell something that's true about yourself. And if you pick dare, you have to do whatever the person asks you to do. That's about all you need to know."

"Oh, I get it," said Phelan. But in the corner of his mind, he was already looking at each of his friends and trying to predict the choices that they were about to make. Theodore and Jeanette were easily the most shy and reserved ones in the group, so they were sure to play it safe with a truth. Simon and Eleanor, well, they had good poker faces, so anything goes with them, he guessed. And no prizes needed to figure out the smug, confident looks on Alvin and Brittany's faces.

The first time the bottle twirled on the floor, it pointed at Simon, who decided that he would make the first spin. On the first spin, it landed on Alvin.

"Okay Alvin, truth or dare?" asked Simon, even though he knew what the answer was going to be.

"Oh puh-lease, do you really have to ask? Of course I choose dare!"

Score one, Phelan grinned to himself.

Simon grinned mischievously. "I dare you to run around the front of our house three times with nothing but your boxers on-"

"Huh! Piece of cake!" Alvin puffed up his chest.

"While waving your hands in the air and screaming 'Help! I've been robbed of my clothes!'"

"What? Simon, that's lame, but that's also just mean! I'm not doing that!"

"I don't care. You'll have to do it. A dare's a dare."

"But Dave's still awake! He'll kill me if I did something that stupid!"

"Well, you're the great Alvin Seville, always getting away with trouble. Perhaps you'll get lucky again."

"Fine!" groaned Alvin as he threw off his clothes, revealing a pair of bright red boxer shorts with little 'A's all over. "But if I'm caught, you're going down with me!"

Once Alvin left the room, Phelan and the other chipmunks rushed to the window; eagerly awaiting the spectacle that was about to unfold before them. Soon, they were all rolling about on the floor and roaring with laughter as a half-naked chipmunk ran up and down the front porch; his hands flailing about as he screamed, "Help! Someone help! My clothes have been robbed!"

Minutes later, Alvin stormed into the room, boxers on. His face was as dark as a storm cloud while the other chipmunks fought to keep a straight face.

"I hope you're happy now, Simon," snapped the red-clad chipmunk as he put on his pyjamas again. "Thanks to you, I've probably got half the neighbourhood thinking that Dave raised a wild chipmunk!"

Simon removed his glasses as he wiped his eyes. "I'll say! That was worth the laugh!"

But he wasn't able to laugh that much when Brittany spun the bottle next and it landed right next to his feet.

"You're up, Simon. Truth or dare?"

Simon sighed as he palmed his face. "I can't believe I'm going to say this, but I choose dare."

Aw man, I guessed wrong, thought Phelan. He stole a quick look at Brittany, who was obviously thinking up the best dare for Simon.

"I dare you to serenade Jeanette with a love song. And Jeanette, you have to kiss Simon afterwards!"

It was well-known throughout the Seville and Miller household – that of all the love that had blossomed from innocent friendship into loving couples, Simon and Jeanette were the only ones who were too shy to express their loves for each other, even in the comfort of their home.

Simon's face turned pale, as though he'd just swallowed an entire textbook, while Jeanette looked taken back. "Wait a minute, that's not how the game works!" exclaimed the bespectacled chipette.

"Think of it as a package dare, then," Brittany winked.

Simon's mouth was still hanging agape in space, so Alvin decided to start up a rally. "Simon! Simon! Simon! Simon!" he chanted, clapping his hands while the others, including Phelan, followed in suit.

"Okay, okay, I'll do it! But I'm going to need some help with the backup, guys." Simon took Jeanette's hands tenderly into his, and looked deeply with passion into her face, her body and her soul.

"Jeanette... I've always wanted to tell you how I feel about you. But I can't figure out the words to say. So, with everyone as our witnesses, I'd like to sing it in a love song." Simon took a deep breath and began to sing:

_We started as friends  
But something happened inside me  
Now I'm reading into everything  
But there's no sign you hear the lightning, baby_

_You don't ever notice me turning on my charm_  
_Or wonder why I'm always where you are_

_I've made it obvious_  
_I've done everything but sing it_  
_(I've crushed on you so long, but on and on you get me wrong)_  
_I'm not so good with words_  
_And since you never notice_  
_The way that we belong_  
_I'll say it in a love song_

_I've heard you talk about_  
_(Heard you talk about)_  
_How you want someone just like me (just like me)_  
_But everytime I ask you out_  
_(Time I ask you out)_  
_We never move pass friendly, no, no_

_And you don't ever notice how I stare when we're alone_  
_Or wonder why I keep you on the phone_

_I've made it obvious_  
_Done everything but sing it_  
_(I've crushed on you so long but on and on you get me wrong)_  
_I'm not so good with words_  
_And since you never notice_  
_The way that we belong_  
_I'll say it in a love song_  
_Yeah..._

_You are my very first thought in the morning_  
_And my last at nightfall_  
_You are the love that came without warning_  
_I need you, I want you to know_

_I've made it obvious_  
_So finally I'll sing it_  
_(I've crushed on you so long)_  
_I'm not so good with words_  
_And since you never notice_  
_The way that we belong_  
_I'll say it in a love song_

_And sing it until the day you're holding me_  
_I've wanted you so long but on and on you get me wrong_  
_I more than adore you but since you never seem to see_

_Since you never seem to see_  
_I'll say it in this love song_

Jeanette's eyes were glistening with tears as Simon finished the song. "That was the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me," she smiled.

"I'm glad I made you happy, Jeanette, because that's what I want to do for the rest of my life," smiled Simon. He leaned forward and swept Jeanette into a kiss. "I honestly and truthfully love you. With all my heart."

Jeanette didn't want to let go so soon, so she let herself be immersed in Simon's comforting embrace. "And I love you, my dear, sweet Simon."

It was another of those heart warming scenes one could find in any love story. Which was probably why Alvin had had enough and decided to put an end to the show. "Alright! Enough with the sappy stuff and let's get back to the game!" He spun the bottle.

"Theo, truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"Okay, if you had to go on a date between Eleanor or all the food in the world, which would you pick?"

"What kind of a question is that?" asked Phelan, but Theodore was nervously biting his lip, his body twitching uncomfortably as he pondered over the question. And to make matters worse, he couldn't look Eleanor in the face.

"I'm waiting, Theo," said Alvin in a sing-song voice.

Theodore threw up his arms. "I – I can't choose!" he wailed.

"Then you're doing the dare!" Alvin disappeared into the bathroom and came out with a bottle containing what appeared to be bubble bath mix. He handed it to Theodore. "I dare you to put this inside Dave's bath – tonight!"

To Phelan and the chipettes, that bottle of bubble mix looked as though you could purchase it over the counter at any pharmacy store. But to Theodore and Simon, that very bottle was just as bad and dangerous as a ton of dynamite.

"I can't do that, Alvin! Besides, he'll never believe me if I told him I did it!" exclaimed Theodore.

Alvin tapped his foot. "Well, that's what I'm waiting to find out."

As Theo left the room, Simon grabbed Alvin by the collar. "Please don't tell me that's my enhanced sodium stearate solution that you stole from me last week!"

"So what if it is?" grinned Alvin.

"You idiot! I perfected that soap solution so that it would dissolve more thoroughly in water and give off more suds and bubbles! Can you imagine the reaction it's going to give in an enclosed space?"

Theodore dashed back into the room, panting with his hand over his chest.

"Theo! Run back to Dave's room and grab that bottle! It's going to blow!" exclaimed Phelan.

"I can't! I put it with Dave's shampoo and conditioners right before he came in! And now he's about to take his bath!"

Simon swore. "And now, we're doomed!"

All seven of them took cover under their blankets, just in time as a muffled explosion took place which shook the floors underneath. Then came the shouting that sounded all-too familiar:

"AAAALLLLLVVVVIIIIIINNNNNN!"

And right on cue, Dave came marching in, covered entirely in soapsuds. He might have easily been a huge clump of bubbles, were it not for the tiny ones popping out of Dave's mouth every time he spoke.

"My entire bathroom is flooded with soap! There are bubbles all over the place and it broke down my door! Alvin, what do you have to say about that?"

"But it wasn't me, Dave, I swear!" Alvin protested, truthfully this time. "It was Theodore who put that soap in your bathroom!"

"Don't lie to me, Alvin; I know that's the enhanced soap solution you stole from Simon! And you're going to clean out the mess you made – right now!"

Alvin was just about to shift the blame to Theodore again, but Simon's intervention saved them all.

"Don't worry Dave; you'll just need to flush it down the sink with more water. My scientific experiments are never that dangerous."

"Well for your sake, I hope it does," said Dave before he left, slamming the door.

Alvin was the only one who burst into a fit of laughter.

"What are you so happy about?" asked Simon, now confused. "Dave thinks that you put that bubble mix in his bath, as if it's not something that doesn't involve you!"

"I knew it!" Alvin shrieked, rolling all over the floor. "Theo does have the 'aw' factor! Nobody believes him because he's too cute and innocent to pull off a stunt like that!"

"Alvin!" everyone chorused, but even they had to admit – it was true to some degree.

Now, Phelan got his chance to spin the bottle and it landed on Eleanor. To make things easier for the new chipmunk, she chose dare. Phelan asked if she could do a headstand for about 20 seconds.

As a soccer player with exceptional stamina, this was definitely in her hands. "No problem!" The green-clad chipette stood on her hands, her bare legs waving in the air while everyone else started the countdown. "1, 2, 3..."

By the time they reached 20, Eleanor was feeling extremely giddy that she stumbled for a moment and lost her balance. Fortunately, Theodore was there to catch her as she fell. "How are you feeling?" he asked.

In Theodore's arms, Eleanor looked like a damsel in distress just rescued by her knight in shining armour. She beamed with joy. "Whew, all that blood's running to my head! But I'll be fine. Thanks, Theo."

"Anything for you, my sweet Ellie," said the youngest chipmunk.

It was Jeanette's turn to spin the bottle next, and when it stopped, it pointed at Phelan. Now all eyes were on him.

"It's your turn, Phelan. Truth or dare?"

"Emm...truth?"

Before Jeanette could say anything, Alvin cut her off. "Then there's one question I want to ask you. Are you really Superman?"

"I'm sorry?" asked Phelan.

"You're hard to predict, and you're incredibly strong – that you can actually carry three sleeping bags at the same time and bring down a whole tree branch! And on top of that, you broke the mirror in the living room! Don't lie to me; I've got all the evidence against you, Phony Philly! So just tell us the truth!"

"I don't see how all of that would make me a superhero," Phelan pointed out.

"Alvin, quit bothering Phelan, you're going to upset him!" warned Simon.

"Well, why don't you tell us a bit about yourself, Phelan? I'm sure the rest of us would like to get to know you a lot more," suggested Jeanette. Even without her glasses, Phelan could see that the chipette's eyes were like two super massive black holes, waiting to absorb whatever matter came into contact with it.

Quite an appropriate allusion to someone who seems intellectual and curious, he thought to himself. "Okay, but I got to warn you, it's not going to sound pretty."

Nevertheless, the six chipmunks and chipettes sat around Phelan, ears perked up as their newest family member began to tell his story.

"As you already know, my name's Phelan. And you were right, Alvin, it's Irish, but I haven't told you guys what my name really means.

"It's Irish for 'wolf'."

The silence that followed probably came as a result from the impact of Phelan's words. It was so quiet; they could have sworn they heard a wolf howling in the distance.

Phelan cleared his throat and continued.

"My mother gave me that name to remind me of the fighting spirit even a wolf can possess. You see, I've learned that the Irish and the wolves share something in common – they never back down without a fight. And that's what I've been doing my whole life. I've been fighting to stay alive.

"When my mother had me, everyone else in the forest where I first lived knew that I was a curse, because bad things always happened whenever I was around. There were these unexplained accidents, forest fires and trees being chopped down all the time. Even some of the critters who went missing were found dead a few days later.

"Of course, nobody had any proof that I was behind these incidents, but they still treated me and my mother like dirt. I didn't give a damn at first, because those forest creatures never had the guts to get rid of us both. But I was always worried that someone would take the first step. Then one night, when I was two, she was taken away from me. My mother had gone to collect food for the winter, when a fox came after her. I never saw her again.

He unhooked his necklace and held it out for everyone to see. "This is all that I was left with. My mother, she told me that if I ever lost my faith, I need only to rely on the strength of this pendant and she will always be there to guide me."

"It's beautiful," said Brittany, who had a certain eye for jewellery.

A quiver formed in the depths of Phelan's throat, but he struggled to continue his story. "I'm sorry I lied to you, guys. But there's never been a day when I can't stop thinking about my mother. I only wish I had the strength to protect her. Some wolf I turned out to be," he finished bitterly.

Eleanor petted Phelan's back reassuringly. "Don't feel so bad on yourself, Phelan. If it makes you feel better, we didn't know who our real mother was. But we learned to stick together as sisters, and we were lucky to get to know the Chipmunks. And you should feel lucky too, Phelan. They've been the best of friends, and I'm sure Alvin, Simon and Theodore have made you feel welcome into our family."

Phelan glanced up at Eleanor. "Does this means that I'm a part of your family, too?"

"Of course you are!" smiled Jeanette. "We'll always be there for you, no matter what happens. _Mi casa, su casa_."

Everybody in the room blinked. Jeanette sure could sound strange at a time like this.

"It's Spanish for 'My house is your house'. I mean, we're all one big happy family, aren't we?" Her response was a bunch of smiling faces bringing forth a light of radiant joy.

For a minute, a silent thought crossed through each of the chipmunks' minds, as though they shared the same brain. Perhaps they should call off the game for a while, or they could do something to lift Phelan's spirits. But it was Eleanor's turn now, and as she spun the bottle, it pointed to her sister.

"Alright Brittany, truth or dare?"

"That's easy. Dare."

"In that case..." Eleanor looked thoughtful for a moment, and then her face lit up. "I dare you to kiss Phelan – on the lips!"

The surprised look on Phelan's face was genuine, but no one else was more horrified than Alvin, and even Brittany seemed pretty annoyed. "Eleanor!" she exclaimed.

"What? Oh come on, give the guy a chance!" said Eleanor. "After all, he can't say that he's never had his first kiss before!"

The pink clad chipette's features softened a little. "Well, you've got a point there, Ellie. And Phelan's been so nice to welcome us; I don't think I can say no to that. So."

All eyes were on Brittany as she got up and approached Phelan with a smile. "Pucker up, lover boy, because here comes your very first kiss!"

And before Phelan could say anything, Brittany brought her lips up close to his and sealed them in a firm, but tender kiss. Those seconds that followed were pure magic as Phelan allowed his senses to go numb, thinking of nothing but the taste of sweet fruit in his mouth. If he were a puppy, he'd be wagging his tail furiously. And if he were a bunny, he'd be thumping his hind leg like crazy. Either way, there were no other words which could truly describe that sensuous feeling of being loved to a whole new level.

Their lips locked together for about a minute until Brittany pulled herself from the now-dazed chipmunk, his eyes as wide as marbles. "So, how did that feel?" she asked Phelan.

He tried to find the proper words. "I... I... That was great. Thanks for cheering me up. I'll never forget that," Phelan smiled.

As for Alvin, he may have looked oblivious to the entire scene, but Phelan could sense a tiny spark of resentment and envy burning in the chipmunk's heart. _It's best that I don't bring up this subject again_, Phelan confirmed to himself.

* * *

The seven chipmunks were so engrossed in their games of fun and blossoming friendship that they couldn't remember what time their heads hit the pillows and they drifted off into the realm of slumber.

But for one of them, it was just the start of his carefully-planned move.

Phelan looked around him, making sure that everyone had fallen fast asleep before he snuggled back under the covers. He waited with all the patience of a flowing river before sleep took over him.

And he would finally get his chance to talk to them; to tell them of the dangers about to come...

* * *

_To Be Continued..._

_Is this the start of a love relationship between Phelan and Brittany? If so, how will Alvin react to being in Phelan's company?_

_And what more secrets could our newest chipmunk be hiding still?_

A.N: I can't believe it! This is by far the longest chapter I've ever written! :) I'm glad I got to put in a truth/ dare for every chipmunk, so I hope you enjoyed that!

Also, do check out the movie _Stardust_, it's really a great film! And in case you were wondering, the song Simon sings to Jeanette is _Obvious_ by Westlife. Thanks Pontiac56, for backing me up on that suggestion! Can't wait to read your next chapter! :)

_Next time on The Darkness Comes - it's Phelan and the chipmunks meet Inception and A Nightmare on Elm Street - well, sort of. You'll just have to wait and find out! :)_


	5. Nightmares Aren't Real

**Chapter 5: Nightmares Aren't Real**

When Phelan awoke, the first thing he noticed was his favourite black trench coat which he was already wearing.

He wasn't in the bedroom anymore with the chipmunks and chipettes, but that didn't bother him one bit.

Phelan was getting used to finding himself standing by the seaside – a place he'd visited many times in his sleep. It wasn't the crashing of the waves which was the first thing to alert his senses.

Standing there, the other Phelan was waiting for him.

Phelan clenched his fists, and then exhaled. There was no need to get all hostile and physical this time. Here, they were both on equal grounds. None could best the other, even in a game of their own wits.

The two chipmunks walked towards each other; both pairs of eyes fixed on nothing else. Once they were standing a mere foot's step apart, they greeted the other with a curt nod. There was nothing to say as Phelan and his other self walked along the beach in complete silence, as though they were old friends cherishing the same memory together.

But like the changing of the tides, there were conversations that had to be made, or rather, disputes that led to arguments.

_I can't believe you're going through with this idea. This isn't going to work – it's stupid!_

"I'm not buying that," said Phelan calmly. "It's a chance I'm willing to take."

The other Phelan looked at him sternly.

_They're not going to believe anything, not even a single word you tell them. You're only wasting your breath._

"That's the whole point of it. The six of them are still going to be in their dreams, and what I tell them will probably make sense right now, but they're most likely going to forget about it when they wake up. That's the way with dreams, isn't it?"

_Why are you doing this, Phelan? You're standing up for a bunch of rats you hardly even know. Those chipmunks are no better than you were when you lived off the forest!_

Upon hearing that, Phelan's voice hardened with fury.

"Those 'rats' happen to be my family! And they've treated and respected me for who I really am, which is something I can say doesn't apply to the likes of hell's breed like you!"

The other Phelan shrugged his shoulders. _Oh well, suit yourself. It's your funeral, after all._

They were now standing at the deeper end of the shore, the waters lapped gently against their waist level. From a higher angle, they could clearly see the bottom of their halves, but beneath those watery depths was something else altogether, something mysterious.

_Are you ready to do this?_

Phelan only nodded in reply.

_I'm giving you a head start, but you'll have to travel deep into the sub-conscious first._

"That's all I need, anyway." Phelan tensed his muscles, ready to make a dive, but gave the other Phelan a wink. "You do know that this truce of ours won't last anymore once I leave this place, right?"

They both shook paws. _Well, it was fun while it lasted. Good luck._

Phelan took a deep breath and plunged head first into the waters.

In that split second, Phelan felt the cold rush of water splashing against his face, followed by the pull of gravity which brought him to land on his feet. He opened his mouth and let the cool, refreshing air rush into his lungs. But there was still that sensation of being underwater, so when he tried to jump, he could feel the water's pressure building against his movement, but at the same time, he felt as though he was floating in thin air.

Phelan was grinning from ear to ear. Hey, this feels great! I could do this all day long!

But there was no time to waste; he had to hurry if he was to talk to the chipmunks. Standing in front of him were six doors, all identical in shape and size. There was no way of telling any of those doors apart.

_Time's a wasting, my soon to be enemy. Tick tock._

Phelan had made up his mind and jumped through the third door, the first one on his left.

* * *

He wasn't sure, for a moment, whether he had gone through the wrong door, or he was still dreaming within his own dream.

Phelan found himself standing in another beach, though this one had more palm trees blowing in the breeze. Behind him, the sunset cast out its hues of orange and yellow.

And there was someone sitting in a deck chair, sipping on pink lemonade and enjoying the sun. It wasn't until Phelan got up closer that he realised who it was.

Brittany? I must be in her subconscious mind, thought Phelan. He didn't know if it sounded like a good idea or not.

The chipette was wearing smoked sunglasses and a pink bikini, which showed off the elegance of her well-kept fur. Phelan gulped as she took off her glasses and gasped when she looked at him.

"Phelan! What are you doing here? Oh, you've arrived just in time!" She got up and walked towards him, a mischievous look glinting in her eyes.

"In time for what?" asked Phelan.

"I've been sitting here waiting for Alvin to come and sweep me off my feet, but I guess you'll have to do." She put her hands around Phelan, slowly breathing in the scent that was his.

"Well, then shouldn't you wait for Alvin?" suggested Phelan, his heart pounding wildly from within.

"But I want you, Phelan. From the first time I laid eyes on you, you're the one for me." She twirled a finger around a clump of Phelan's chest fur playfully. "I like boys who are unpredictable, calm and understanding. You're my missing piece, Phelan. And you, you're so... wild."

"Uh... Brittany, this is really-"

"Don't deny it. I can see it in you; you've wanted me right from the start." And with that, she burst into song:

_You think I'm pretty  
Without any make-up on  
You think I'm funny  
When I tell the punch line wrong  
I know you get me  
So I'll let my walls come down, down_

_Before you met me_  
_I was all right_  
_But things were kinda heavy_  
_You brought me to life_  
_Now every February_  
_You'll be my Valentine, Valentine_

_Let's go all the way tonight_  
_No regrets, just love_  
_We can dance until we die_  
_You and I_  
_We'll be young forever_

_You make me_  
_Feel like_  
_I'm living a teenage dream_  
_The way you turn me on_  
_I can't sleep_  
_Let's runaway_  
_And don't ever look back_  
_Don't ever look back_

_My heart stops_  
_When you look at me_  
_Just one touch_  
_Now baby I believe_  
_This is real_  
_So take a chance_  
_And don't ever look back_  
_Don't ever look back_

_We drove to Cali_  
_And got drunk on the beach_  
_Got a motel and_  
_Built a fort out of sheets_  
_I finally found you_  
_My missing puzzle piece_  
_I'm complete_

_Let's go all the way tonight_  
_No regrets, just love_  
_We can dance until we die_  
_You and I_  
_We'll be young forever_

_You make me_  
_Feel like_  
_I'm living a teenage dream_  
_The way you turn me on_  
_I can't sleep_  
_Let's runaway_  
_And don't ever look back_  
_Don't ever look back_

_My heart stops_  
_When you look at me_  
_Just one touch_  
_Now baby I believe_  
_This is real_  
_So take a chance_  
_And don't ever look back_  
_Don't ever look back_

_I might get your heart racing_  
_In my skin-tight jeans_  
_Be your teenage dream tonight_

_Let you put your hands on me_  
_In my skin-tight jeans_  
_Be your teenage dream tonight_

_You make me_  
_Feel like_  
_I'm living a teenage dream_  
_The way you turn me on_  
_I can't sleep_  
_Let's runaway_  
_And don't ever look back_  
_Don't ever look back_

_My heart stops_  
_When you look at me_  
_Just one touch_  
_Now baby I believe_  
_This is real_  
_So take a chance_  
_And don't ever look back_  
_Don't ever look back_

_I might get your heart racing  
In my skin-tight jeans  
Be your teenage dream tonight_

_Let you put your hands on me_  
_In my skin-tight jeans_  
_Be your teenage dream tonight_

As she finished singing, Brittany gently scratched his chin. A purr escaped Phelan's throat, but he snapped out of it as he regained his composure.

"I'm sorry Brittany, but I can't do this. You've got Alvin, and he loves you very much."

"Oh, please. What does that selfish, stuck-up jerk know about love?" Brittany frowned.

The sun behind them was slowly sinking into the waters, but the sky was about to turn blood-red. There wasn't much time.

"I have to go," said Phelan. He gave Brittany a quick peck on the cheek and ran to the sea.

"Where are you going?"

"Nowhere! Just stay where you are! I'll come back for you, I promise!"

* * *

Phelan was glad to be back in the safety of his own beach, and now the chipmunks and chipettes were walking side by side with him, all dressed in their normal clothes.

"It's nice to take a walk on a day like this, don't you think?" said Jeanette.

"Yeah, I'm glad we chose this spot," replied Theodore, walking hand in hand with Eleanor.

"It couldn't be any more romantic," Eleanor agreed.

Alvin was the first to notice something was wrong. "Uh, guys? Whose idea was it to come here in the first place?"

They all looked at each other, equally confused, but no one came up with the answer.

"But I thought you said-"

"No. I remember Dave dropping us off here, but-"

"Uh, since when did Dave actually drive us to the beach?" asked Brittany.

Now Phelan, who had kept silent the whole time, addressed all six of them.

"You're all in the middle of a dream. You won't remember anything from the start, because that's where dreams begin – right in the middle."

As crazy as it might have seemed, there was some sense to be made from Phelan's answers. The chipmunks looked around their newfound surroundings.

"Wait a minute, so, whose dream are we in?" asked Alvin.

"It's all of yours. I just rounded up your subconscious minds so that you can experience the same dreams at the same time," explained Phelan.

"Why are you doing this?" asked Jeanette.

"I need to tell you something, but I couldn't find a place with enough privacy. And it's very important that I talk to you guys."

All six chipmunks looked at Phelan with great interest. "Can you tell us right now?" Brittany piped up.

Phelan's ears twitched slightly as they picked up the slightest of interferences. "No, not yet. It's too open in here. I'll take you somewhere secret. Then we can talk. Follow me."

He led them all towards the sea, but Phelan grappled firmly with his thoughts. A bridge of glass panes instantly materialised from thin air, rapidly unfolding to reveal more glass panes that stretched as far as the eye could see. It was weird at first to be walking on water, but soon the chipmunks saw wonders which they would have never believed, even if it was a dream.

"Why are there cupcakes floating in the sea?"

As if to answer Phelan's question, Theodore's stomach rumbled. "Oh, sorry, I haven't had a midnight snack."

"And what's with the billboards popping out of nowhere and those clothes in the sky?" asked Alvin.

"I'm bored," frowned Brittany. "Do they have a mall here where I can do my shopping?"

"You have to be careful of what you think in the dream world," warned Phelan. "Here, your thoughts become reality. And it's too dangerous to step back once you won't be able to distinguish what you think is real from what isn't."

"In English, please?"

"My skeptical brother, it means that you should keep your mind blank for now and just do what I do," said Phelan, picking up some of Simon's dry humour.

They walked further on, nobody daring to say anything as Phelan led the way. When he stopped, the others saw that there was a wall right in front of them. But this wall was entirely formed from water, and it was flowing _upwards_, as though against the pull of gravity.

Alvin shrugged. "So, is this the secret place? Don't want to be rude, but it's kind of lame."

"You need to think out of the box, Alvin," smiled Phelan. "Walk through the wall backwards."

"But, why do we have to-"

"Just trust me, please. And whatever you guys do, don't panic."

All seven chipmunks held hands and turned to face their backs against the wall.

"On the count of three," said Phelan. "Ready? One, two, three!"

As they stepped back against the wall, they felt the cold rush of water against their bodies. Then, as though the floor beneath them had tilted, the wall of water was now below their feet, as the sea level should have been naturally.

The chipmunks gasped in surprise. Phelan didn't.

"I had to make sure we all went through at the same time. You could have drowned if you took a step too late. And while you can't exactly die in dreams, the consequences may be... unexpected."

"Unexpected? Like how?" asked Simon.

"If you die in this dream, you'll probably wake up in another one. Not a bad idea, but you won't remember anything that has happened before. And like I said, I need to talk to all of you. Hey, we're finally here!"

* * *

They were now standing on an empty platform with torches blazing in all directions, illuminating the now star-lit sky. Phelan motioned for everyone to sit down, and then spoke again.

"I'm sorry for being so secretive, but you have to understand, this isn't something I'm willing to share with anyone. I'm putting my trust in all of you because you truly are the first to take me in with kindness, and for that, I'm truly grateful. So please, hear me out first, and then you can decide whether you choose to believe me or not."

With a wave of his paw, Phelan dimmed the torches into a state of semi-darkness, possibly to enhance the effect his story was about to give.

"When our world was created in the beginning, everything had to have an entity, a certain figure, if you must, to govern over all the living forms of manner and all of those which were not among the living.

"Of the many elements of our world that are to be controlled, there are two forces so powerful that neither could exist without the other. The first is Light, but I don't know much about that. However, the second, the complete opposite, is controlled by an entity so great, so powerful that it is feared by all who know it.

"It goes by many names – Erebus, Azi Dahaka, even the Morrigan. But we all know it by its true name – The Darkness.

"The Darkness does not only control the absence of light – it is the embodiment of everything that is evil, tainted and demonic in this world. It has unlimited power, far greater that you could possibly imagine, but it has one weakness.

"It will not be able to stand anything against the forces of the Light. Bright places, sunlight, you name it – The Darkness holds no power over any source of light. It must stay within the shadows at all times, or risk being destroyed for all eternity.

"A very interesting story, but why are you telling us all of this?" asked Simon.

"Because I want you guys to be careful. I want you all to be on your guard and look out for each other, okay?" Phelan's voice was desperate, almost pleading to the brink of tears.

"Lately, the Darkness has been getting stronger. It's been plotting its next move within the shadows, gaining its powers tenfold. And it's also getting smarter. But it has decided not to act on its own. It has found a vessel that it can control."

"What do you mean by that?" asked Alvin.

Phelan was about to answer when all of a sudden, the ground began to shake. Dark shapes began to materialize out of nowhere until it took on a proper form, and it was a terrible sight to behold.

A huge, black boar stood there in hell's fury. The creature pawed at the ground with its razor-sharp hooves, its nostrils breathing heavily as it stared hungrily at the six chipmunks. To the girls, this was clearly something coming out from the depths of their nightmares. But to the boys, it was almost as though their worst nightmare had returned from the dead to haunt them. A living nightmare that had almost killed them many months ago in a wild forest.

"Run! Run for your lives!" screamed Phelan.

Alvin shook Phelan furiously by the collar. "You set us up! You tricked us! I can't believe you would sink this low, you traitor!"

"Do you think I would ask you to run if I knew what's going on? Go! NOW!"

But it was too late. The dark flames coming out of the boar had turned into fiery barriers that blocked all the possible exits, and now Phelan and the chipmunks were trapped between the boar-like creature and one big roaring wall of hellfire.

"Stay out of the shadows!" Phelan yelled as he stepped forward to defend the others.

The boar, seeing Phelan as its biggest threat, charged at him like a rampaging bull. Phelan willed the power of darkness into his hands, but the boar was quicker. It knocked Phelan out of the way, and now it was heading straight for the chipmunks. Alvin and Simon were lucky enough to evade its wild stampede, but Theodore was completely paralyzed with fear.

For a second, the little green-clad chipmunk thought this was going to be the end, but Simon had knocked him out of harm's way. Theodore felt a sharp nick on his arm, but nothing else.

Frustrated that it had missed, the boar-like creature turned its focus next to the chipettes, whose current states were a lot worse than Theodore's. The girls were white with terror, they whimpered as they held tightly to each other. It was too far to reach them, and unless someone did something, the results weren't going to end up pretty.

"Brittany! Jeanette! Eleanor! RUN!" yelled the boys.

Then another voice rang through the clearing, loud and clear with the strength of fury.

"You leave my friends alone!"

Phelan was on all fours, his back arched, the hairs on his body raised until they were as sharp as needles. But there was no sign of any peace or friendliness on the chipmunk's face. Phelan's teeth were bared, his eyes wild with savagery as he growled and snarled at the boar-like creature. It was almost as though Phelan had unleashed the start of a wild animal within him.

The boar charged at him again. Phelan, not wanting to make the same mistake twice, snapped his wrists quickly. The orbs of darkness enveloping his paws had changed into twin swords. With the perfect timing and the agility of a cat, Phelan leaped into the air just as the boar was about to come into contact. He landed on its back and plunged both swords into its thick hide.

The boar screeched in agony as it trashed about wildly, hoping to throw Phelan off its back. But the chipmunk held on with all his might until the foul creature tumbled down, the fire in its eyes slowly faded into nothingness.

When all was safe and clear, Simon, being the responsible one, went over to check on his brothers and the chipettes.

"Theodore, are you alright?"

The green-clad chipmunk looked at his arm. The boar-like creature had ripped a huge tear in his sleeve, and his right arm was bleeding. "I'm going to die!" cried Theodore.

"Here, give me your arm."

Phelan took Theodore's arm, and to everyone's surprise, he sniffed the wound and began to lick it clean. To Theodore, the effect of Phelan's saliva on his arm was gentle and cool to the touch. When he dared to look, the gash on Theodore's arm was gone, closed up with nothing more than a tiny scar. The bleeding had also stopped.

"How did you do that?" asked Simon as Phelan spat out a mouthful of blood.

"I told you, everything can happen in a dream. You just need to believe that it's real to make it happen."

A sudden pain erupted through Phelan's chest. He glanced down and saw that one of his dark swords had sliced through his chest as easily as though it was butter. The boar-like creature was gone, but in its place there stood a chipmunk – one that looked almost exactly like Phelan, but had panther-black fur. His red, demonic eyes grew wide with evil pleasure as he stared down the injured Phelan and the chipmunks.

"Who – who the hell are you?" asked Alvin.

The other Phelan threw back his head and laughed.

_I'm him, and he's me. But to you, I'm your worst nightmare._

With that, he yanked the sword out. Alvin and his brothers watched in horror as Phelan crumpled to the ground, possibly breathing his last. Brittany could not stop crying.

_And now, when I get hold of you..._

The other Phelan was about to make a step towards them when a tendril wrapped around his leg and pulled him down. The shadowy chipmunk could only yell and curse as he vanished into his own shadow. Phelan looked up at the chipmunks and gave them a quick wink, just as the floor beneath them gave way and disappeared, along with Phelan himself.

All six of them were now falling freely through the air; the ground rushing up to smash them back into reality.

"WAKE UP! WAKE ME UP!" screamed Brittany.

"I'm too young to die!" screeched Eleanor.

"JEANETTE!"

"SIMON!"

"THEODORE!"

"ELEANOR!"

"BRITTANY!"

"ALVIN!"

"Alvin?"

"Alvin!"

"Wake up, Alvin!"

* * *

_To Be Continued..._

_Will the chipmunks and chipettes remember everything when they wake up? And will Phelan survive his terrible fate in the land of dreams? All this and perhaps more in the next chapter! :)_

A.N: I'm sorry if this chapter seems random at weird places, but I suppose that's what dreams are about - they're supposed to be random. But this chapter was only written in two days! Can you believe it? Anyway, the song mentioned is Katy Perry's Teenage Dream.

So please hit that little button down there and share with me what you think about the story's progress. Thanks! :)


	6. The Plot Thickens

**Chapter 6: The Plot Thickens**

"Alvin, wake up!"

A pair of hands was shaking him, bringing Alvin's senses to full alertness as the chipmunk got up. Dave was standing over him. "Come on Alvin, get up! I've made breakfast."

Simon was the next to wake, followed by Theodore and the chipettes. It seemed as though their rising mechanisms were all on clockwork.

"But Dave, we don't have school today. It's Sunday, remember?" yawned Alvin.

"I know, but don't you want to go shopping for your Halloween supplies?"

Meanwhile, Phelan was still curled up under the blankets.

"He must be a little tired from last night," reasoned Dave. "Perhaps we should just let him sleep a little longer?"

Brittany and her sisters approached the sleeping chipmunk and pulled away the covers. "Phelan?" She prodded him a little harder. "Phelan, wake up!"

Phelan's nose twitched a little bit, followed by a loud snore and a whistle from his breathing.

This sent the chipettes into silent fits of giggles. "He sure looks cute when he's asleep!" whispered Brittany.

* * *

Alvin wasn't singing much of a happy tune as he chewed monotonously on his cereal, his jaws slowing down like lead with every bite and his eyes were heavy with sleep.

"Alvin, are you alright?" asked Simon. "You don't look too good yourself."

"Nah, it was nothing. I just had a bad dream."

Eleanor looked up from her cereal. "What's it about?"

"I dreamt that all six of us were on the beach, and then we were walking on the water. But it suddenly got dark, and there was this-"

"Were we attacked by a giant wild boar?" asked Simon sharply.

Everybody gaped in horror as Alvin looked at Simon with equal dread. "How do you know about that?"

"Because I had exactly the same dream last night!"

A unanimous gasp echoed throughout the room.

"No way!"

"I had that dream, too!"

"So we all dreamt the same thing?"

"That can't be right," Brittany pointed out, "because I had a nightmare before the boar attacked us. I dreamt that I was in a fashion show – but I wasn't wearing any makeup! And then everybody was laughing at me because I was wearing last year's Dolce and Gabbana dresses. It was terrifying!"

Everyone else either groaned or rolled their eyes.

"Wait a minute, guys," said Alvin. "So we were all attacked by a giant boar. And then what happened?"

Theodore pulled up his sleeve. There was a tiny scar on his arm, exactly where the boar in his dreams had barely nicked him. Eleanor looked at the scar, concern written all over her face.

"Where did you get that cut, Theodore?"

"I... I don't know. I think I might have cut myself against a wall or something," said Theodore, completely puzzled.

But they all knew what Alvin was going to say.

"You didn't get it from that boar, did you?"

It was becoming too obvious that something had definitely gone wrong last night. And the evidence was already there. Nobody dared to say anything else or ask any questions.

"But I don't understand it. What was the point of us having the same nightmare?" asked Jeanette.

Simon straightened his glasses. "It's probably a coincidence of our subconscious minds receiving the same messages and we all ended up in the same dream thinking that it was a part of reality."

"You've been watching too much of _Inception_, haven't you?" asked Alvin.

"That's not my point," snapped Simon. "But there's something I'm pretty sure all of us is going to ask, so on the count of three. One, two, three-"

Everybody cut in. "What was Phelan doing in our dreams?"

Alvin spoke next. "I don't know. I only remember him telling us that we were in the middle of something."

"He said something about being sorry for keeping a secret that big," Simon piped up.

Theodore looked nervous. "I...I think he had something to do with that boar."

The chipettes were as silent as the room's atmosphere.

"Look, why don't we just ask Phelan nicely? I'm pretty sure he had the same nightmare as we all did," Jeanette reasoned.

"Well, if you're so smart, why don't you ask him now?" challenged Alvin.

"What do you – Oh, good morning, Phelan!"

The yellow-clad chipmunk had just made his presence in the dining room, bringing with him an unexplainable tension building up in the chipmunks' nerves.

"So, Phelan, did you, um, sleep well last night?" asked Eleanor.

"Oh yeah, I did!" Phelan beamed. "Snug as a bug."

Jeanette's fingers fidgeted as she adjusted her glasses. "You wouldn't happen to have any dreams last night, did you?"

Phelan thought for a moment's pause. "I dreamt I was on the beach... but that's all I can remember. Seriously."

The chipmunks could have tried to dig out more information had Dave not entered, with another serious matter regarding their newest member of the family.

"Phelan, I know this may be a bit of a rush to you, but, you are aware that as a child, you'll have to go to school?"

"But I've never been to school! I don't think I could possibly fit in!" objected Phelan. I have to stay hidden, he vowed silently, so that nothing can harm me or my family while I'm around!

"You can't hide from the outside world forever, you know," reasoned Dave, as though he'd just read the chipmunk's thoughts.

Now where had he heard those words before? Oh, darn! The thought came to him, but Phelan quickly shook it off like a wet dog.

"Unless you'd rather be home-schooled?"

Phelan shook his head. "I've got skills. I can read. And write. And I'd rather use them for the good of all mankind and those who really need it."

Dave chuckled. "Gosh, you sound like a politician! But where in the world would a wild – I mean, someone like you be able to get such skills?"

"The rangers back in the forest where I came from had all these instruction manuals and other books. I would sneak into their cabins in the middle of the night and borrow some of them to read."

"Borrowed?" asked Simon.

"Yeah, because when I first brought them back, Mother pinched my tail and told me to return what she called 'the human's property'. So I agreed, on the condition that I would read to her every night and return those books first thing in the morning."

Alvin was already scribbling furiously on a piece of paper, which he handed over to Phelan. "Okay smarty, prove it. What's said on the paper?"

Phelan rolled his eyes as he looked at Alvin's untidy scrawls and scowled.

"Alvin is the greatest superstar the world has ever seen. Simon has the biggest glasses, but that _does not _make him a nerd. And Theodore is_ not _fat because he eats too much!"

He flipped the paper over and smiled as he read the next piece out loud.

"Roses are red,

Violets are blue.

Brittany, you're so cute and sweet,

That's why I love you."

"Aw, nuts!" gasped Alvin as he covered his face with his hands. "I gave you a scrap of my doodling paper!"

"Is that what you really think of me, Alvin?" asked Brittany.

"Uh..." The red-clad chipmunk swallowed a lump in his throat. "Y-yeah, but I-"

His stuttering was silenced as Brittany walked up to him and planted a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you, that was very thoughtful of you," she smiled.

Alvin would have been over the moon if Brittany hadn't kissed Phelan as well. "And that was so sweet of you to say such things, Phelan."

A warm feeling swept over Phelan like butter, while Alvin was now a living frying pan.

"Hey, that's not fair! How come he has to get the love? I wrote that poem!"

"Then you should have said it yourself, silly," the chipette winked.

Phelan knew from that instant that he'd never been in a house filled with so much joy and cheerfulness as a bout of laughter followed. After joining in the festivities, he looked at the chipmunks' guardian.

"Dave, are you sure about this? About me going to school?"

Before Dave could ask why, Phelan had already turned to address his brothers and the chipettes.

"I mean, I know you guys are rock stars and all, but-"

"Major rock stars," corrected Alvin, putting the emphasis on the first word.

"I'm only going to become a burden for your publicity," said Phelan.

"He's right you know," Simon pointed out. "With Phelan in our family, everybody's going to go crazy over the newest addition to the family of pop-singing chipmunks-"

"Major pop-singing chipmunks."

"So what I'm trying to say is, don't you think I might become a threat to your star fame?"

"Major star fame!"

"Okay, okay, I get it!" Phelan snapped. "And if you don't shut up, you're going to become a MAJOR pain in my neck right now!"

Everybody burst out laughing, including Alvin.

"Don't worry, bro. You'll get used to it. We've got friends who treat us nice, and not because we're superstars! Just be yourself, that's what Dave always says!"

_Be yourself? Yeah right. There's no way you can blend in anymore once you become your true self!  
_

* * *

After escorting the chipettes back home, Dave took the boys out shopping, as he had promised. Only this time, he left both Simon and Phelan in charge of the money, as well as to keep an eye out for their siblings.

Phelan's expressions were almost exactly like a deer caught in the headlines as he wandered aimlessly around the shop. Hordes of fake body parts, costumes, makeup and creepy crawlies all stared back at him with their eerie looks.

Alvin was already rummaging through the mixture of bright and dark colours and fabrics, looking for the perfect Halloween costume.

"How about a vampire?" Simon called out to the red blur going in and out of the aisles.

"Nah, too cliché!"

"Werewolf?"

"I'm furry enough as it is!"

Something caught the corner of Phelan's eyes. He picked up a mask which covered the right side of his face and draped a cape over his shoulders. "How do I look?"

The chipmunks took one look at their brother and gave their approval.

"Wow! You're like the phantom chipmunk of the opera!" said Simon.

"I wouldn't be caught dead wearing that!" Alvin pointed out. "But you sure can pull off that look!"

"Where are you going?" asked Theodore as Phelan headed for the fitting rooms.

"Just going to check out how I look in this costume. Be right back."

* * *

Phelan looked at his new appearance in the privacy of the fitting room. Sure, he looked all mysterious and creepy, but how much longer could the chipmunk bear before he could look at himself like any normal living being?

_I never thought I would be able to say this, but you are the most literal chipmunk I have ever met. Such delicious irony you create for yourself._

Phelan had never coped well with people speaking in riddles, least of all from a manifestation of his own self. "I don't get where you're going on about."

_That mask you happen to be wearing is nothing more than a fake, just like you. Covering up your true identity, hiding yourself from others to see what you really are. You are meant for the theatrics, little rodent, but your real talent lies in your deception and your shadow play._

"And what would you have me do?" Phelan folded his arms.

_Tomorrow, you go to school, am I correct? That means you'll be walking among the pathetic lives that call themselves humans, right? Now that's the beginning of your audience! Bravo. Let's give them a show that they'll never forget!_

"By killing the innocent? How much more blood do you want?"

The other Phelan sneered back. _Oh come on, I thought you used to enjoy this. You're not going to be a spoilsport now, aren't you?_

"No! I'm through with doing your bidding, you know that! You're on your own now."

He took off his costume and headed for the door, but when he turned around, his reflection cast him a warning glance.

_Don't walk away from me, rat. Whether you like it or not, I will be by your side tomorrow. And I will bring forth the wrath of hell!_

"I'll be there alright – on the away team, standing opposite you and your reign of tyranny."

And like a judge's gavel, a door's slam was all it needed to end the debate.

* * *

The first thing Phelan noticed were worried looks from his brothers, especially from Theodore.

"Are you okay? I heard you talking to someone inside."

"Who, me? Nah, I was just practicing to be scary, you know." He raised an eyebrow as he swept his arms with great fashion. "The phantom chipmunk lurks in the darkness, for he must be prepared to stalk the night!"

Even the cashier was put into good spirits by Phelan's performance. "You're quite the actor, little guy. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're good at keeping secrets!"

Phelan's heart skipped a beat, but quickly regained his composure. "Oh, you have no idea."

But deep within the crevices of his mind, Phelan knew of the other preparations that were about to be made.

There was danger afoot, and it would be up to him, and only him alone, to stop it from happening.

But what could he possibly tell the chipmunks when they found out the truth?

* * *

_To Be Continued..._

_Will the chipmunks remember completely what happened in their dreams? And what danger awaits our mysterious and reluctant hero? Stay tuned to find out!_

_Next chapter: Phelan attends school, with some unexpected surprises along the way!_


	7. Fight For What's Right

_Author's Note: This chapter is dedicated specially to Wendy, now known as Cerulean's Pen. In so many ways, you remind me of Phelan. You are both fighters in your own way, and deep down inside, you learn to choose what you feel is the right thing to do. Hope shines in your hearts like a warm and radiant light. :)  
_

**Chapter 7: Fight For What's Right**

The first thing that defines a Monday morning is the blaring of the unforgiving alarm clock.

And that was only the start of the turn of events which had nearly cost them their lives...

After the four chipmunks had made their way downstairs for breakfast, Dave came in a hurry and broke to them the bad news:

"I'm sorry guys, but I have to get to work early today. So I asked Miss Miller if she could drop you boys off to school, and she said no problem."

A long, loud groan rang throughout the room, much to Phelan's confusion.

"Uh, isn't Miss Miller the one who takes care of the chipettes? Come on guys, how bad can it be?"

"Dude, you have no idea."

Alvin and his brothers weren't too keen on telling Phelan that Beatrice Miller still treated her daughters and friends as though they were toddlers. Nor did they inform him that for a senile woman of almost sixty, she had the tendency to drive up the wall – quite literally. The pink Cadillac that screamed throughout the journey ran through two red lights, pulled off a drift around a tight bend, nearly knocked down the mailman, and finally, rammed into a streetlight that fell on top of the school's sign.

Miss Miller waved to the staggering chipmunks who had staggered out of the car, grateful to be on safe and solid ground. "Bye, dears! Have a good day at school! And you have a good day too, Philly!"

"That's the fifth time she's called you Philly in one day," groaned Theodore. His face had turned the exact colour of his shirt.

Phelan, who looked no worse than his brother, bent over and gagged.

"She also insisted on combing my fur at least seven times! I don't care what Miss Miller wants to calls me. Just don't put me in the front seat next to her again, okay?"

* * *

For the rest of the day, Phelan learnt how to survive the stampede of students walking through the corridors, where to find his locker and how to behave in class. Most of the time, he was greeted by warm welcomes, with the occasional stares and distant, but perked-up gossips:

"Isn't that the newest Seville member?"

"Nah, can't be! He looks more like a stray dog than a chipmunk!"

"Bet they picked him up from the pound for show-and-tell!"

He chose to ignore those futile pinpricks.

* * *

And before he knew it, Phelan had survived half the day at school; now he was joined by his fellow chipmunks as they sat at the same cafeteria table during lunch break.

"So, how are you enjoying your first day of school?" asked Eleanor as she speared a forkful of salad.

"It's great. To be honest, I never imagined there would be so many humans in one place!" exclaimed Phelan.

"Yeah, but it's a good thing he can beat them all!" exclaimed Alvin. "Did you know that today in gym, he set the new school record for the long jump and the hundred metre run!"

"Nah, that's nothing, really," said Phelan modestly. "Back in the forest, I used to jump from trees that were so much further from each other. And running was a skill you had to have, especially if you're a land critter, or you might end up being somebody else's breakfast."

Phelan looked a little uncomfortable as he brought up his past, so Brittany decided to change the subject.

"Hey, I know! Why don't we all go to the gym after school to put up the Halloween decorations?"

Simon rolled his eyes. "Brittany, the dance party is only in three weeks. What's the rush?"

"Exactly! The faster we put up those decorations, the faster we'll be able to help decide what else to do for the party!" said Alvin, who seemed to agree with Brittany.

The rest of the group eventually nodded. "I'd love to help out, too," added Phelan.

* * *

The gym was the largest part of the building Phelan had even seen; it was even bigger than three of their bedrooms put together. It mostly consisted of a basketball court and the bleachers that were stationed by the sidelines.

Brittany's idea was to put up some orange and black streamers on the walls, while Alvin suggested that he should get the jack o' lanterns from the store and put them around the gym floor.

"I believe that the streamers are placed with the jack o' lanterns in the storeroom," said Simon.

"Then I'll go get it." Phelan headed for the doors.

"Are you sure you don't need any help?" called out Alvin.

"I'll be fine. If I'm not back in an hour, you can call the police!"

* * *

It only took Phelan ten minutes to find the storeroom. There were plenty of streamers, weaving amongst each other like multi-coloured snakes. He slung them around his neck as he picked up the evil-looking pumpkins at the same time. Phelan shuddered a little as he looked at those carved out faces. It was almost as though they were suggesting that something spooky was abound. The forces of evil was nigh.

Nah, I'm definitely imagining things.

As he headed back to the gym, Phelan felt a cold shiver tingling up his spine. The shadows were getting longer and thicker by the minute.

Then the lights went out, one at a time.

Phelan gulped. This was definitely not happening, not during the daytime and not when things were supposed to be going so smoothly.

A scream rang throughout the eerie silence, followed by a chorus of yells and cries of fear.

The words of his other self played back in his head. _I will be there, by your side. And I will bring forth the wrath of hell!_

My brothers! The girls! Brittany!

Phelan made a run for the gym doors. He burst through them, praying that whatever nasty thoughts that ran through his mind were wrong.

* * *

In the pitch-black darkness, he could see them. And _him_.

"No... it can't be..."

The gym floor was alight with hellfire. Tendrils, like the ones that attacked him before, had sprouted up from the ground. The chipmunks and chipettes were trapped in this tangled mess, each one struggling to get out. But there were only five of them. Wait a minute! Where was Alvin?

But it was the ominous sight that stood before Phelan that made him tremble. No, it was impossible!

Black panther-like fur, bloodshot eyes, dark trench coat. He was definitely there. In the flesh.

He tried to shout out a warning, but somebody had already beaten him there.

"ALVIN!"

"BRITTANY!"

Being a chipmunk as well as one of the school's best athletes had its gains for Alvin as he ran across the gym floor, dodging his way out of the tendrils. Even the other Phelan was impressed by this young but foolish chipmunk's intentions.

"You put Brittany, her sisters and my brothers down right now!"

Alvin leaped for the other Phelan and aimed a punch at his face. It connected, causing the dark chipmunk to crash to the ground. His eyes were burning with fury as he spat out a mouthful of blood. Then he lashed out at Alvin, who skidded across the floor.

"_Isn't that sweet? You're willing to die for them?"_

He snapped his fingers. The tendril holding Brittany slithered closer to him, while she struggled in fright.

"_I can see why this one means so much. Such a cute treasure. I wonder how she'll taste like!"_

Alvin was shaking. "Please, don't harm her! I'll do anything, just put her down!"

"_Anything? My word, you're so loyal to these rats, like a common mongrel! I know. You get over here on all fours, you pathetic dog and do as I tell you!"_

"What? I can't do it! Anything but that!"

The other Phelan laid a delicate paw on Brittany's arm, who was now whimpering and crying. _"Get over here, now, or I'll see to it that she suffers for your selfishness!"_

"Don't do it, Alvin..." whispered Brittany.

But Alvin was already crawling to the other Phelan's side on his hands and knees. If it meant saving his brothers and the chipettes' lives, then he would show them just how loyal he could be.

"_Sit."_

Alvin sat on his knees, fearing for the worst.

"_Beg. Like a dog."_

Fighting back the tears, Alvin begged, putting his hands in front of him as he panted. Right now, he looked almost like a sad puppy, thinking of nothing but Brittany's safety, as well as that of his brothers and the chipettes.

"_Good boy. Now play dead."_

Before Alvin could comply, the other Phelan conjured another tendril that hit Alvin from the left side. It sent him sprawling against the wall and the red-clad chipmunk lay there, still and out cold.

Brittany's sobs became tearful chokes.

"_And stay there!" _roared the other Phelan.

It was either do or die now. Phelan dashed into the room, just as his other self clapped at his own arrival.

"_Ah, you're just in time! You didn't think I was pulling your leg when I said I would be standing by your side. Well, I hate to say 'I told you so', but I did tell you so. Be careful what you wish for."_

"Okay, you got me. I'm right here. What do you want?"

The other Phelan seemed to ignore his question as he took his first steps.

"_The joy! Such bliss to be in my own body once more! I can't believe I just lurked in the shadows while you took over me and did nothing, you weakling! But no matter. With this body, I now have the power to create the things I desire the most."_

"Then what is it you desire?" Phelan repeated his question.

"_The universe was fashioned out of darkness. Our world came into existence from the specks of darkness. And that is how it should be. With nothing left to govern this world except darkness, we stand a better chance of living in peace._

"_Just look at what change has done to the world, it's ruining everything! But once I put everything back to the way it used to be, we can set things straight. Imagine – living in a world of endless nights and dreams!"_

The other Phelan smirked as he gazed at the tendrils coiling around his collection of struggling chipmunks. Just a few more seconds of panic-induced trashing, and then he would have seconds.

"_Of course, we'll be killing a lot of people along the way, but I'm sure you never had any use for these rats in the first place!" _

Furious, Phelan spread his arms wide. The flames of darkness flared up instantly, creating an aura around his paws. "No, I can't let you do it! This is insane!"

"_Ah yes, I almost forgot. You're supposed to be the good guy, the champion of all that is right, the hero who saves the day! And I'm supposed to be shaking right now, oooh!"_

He laughed heartily as he stood face to face with Phelan.

"_But that's not who you really are, isn't it? I know what you're capable of. Deep down inside, I know this little charade of your is nothing but a big act! Do they know it, huh?"_

Those spiteful remarks hit the spot. Phelan couldn't find the right words to retaliate, but he stood his ground. "This isn't an act."

"_So, you haven't told them who you really are, didn't you? Naughty, naughty." _The other Phelan waved a taunting finger.

With a wave of his paw, the flames on the ground materialized into two black thrones, each one more grand than the other. The other Phelan sat comfortably on the throne to the left, while he motioned to the yellow-clad chipmunk.

"_As I said before, I know who you really are, Phelan. You're not just any chipmunk; you're a killer chipmunk, and my warrior of darkness. If you were smart enough, you would take your place beside me right now. And together, we can be the kings of promise! Phelan, you're here because you were meant to be!" _

Phelan's conscience raged like the waves of a stormy sea, but Brittany brought him back to earth as she cried and screamed – the yellow-clad chipmunk couldn't take it any longer.

"Phelan, don't do it, please! I trusted you; my sisters trusted you! We all trusted you! You're a good chipmunk on the inside! Please! Don't listen to him!"

The other Phelan rounded on Brittany and slapped her, knocking the pink-clad chippete unconscious. _"SHUT UP!"_

Jeanette and Eleanor looked on with strangled looks of horror; they would have screamed by now if they weren't slowly choking to death. The same could be said for Simon and Theodore as they tried to stay strong for the loves of their lives. But like the girls, they too knew that everything was coming to a long and painful end.

The other Phelan snapped a finger as he turned to address his original self:

"_Now that you've made your choice, I need to know that you're on my side. Kill her quickly. Then get rid of her sisters and those dear things you used to call brothers. We have much work to do." _

Phelan looked at the smirking face of his doppelganger. He looked at Brittany, whose tears were still flowing from her unconscious face, and then back to his own paws, still covered in dark flames.

In that split second, he came to realize what his true purpose was. Phelan's voice cracked under the strains as he sighed.

"You're right. I'm sorry."

Then he snapped out of it, arched his back, and pounced.

* * *

...

...

...

"_What the-"_

The dark chipmunk felt the wind knocked out of him as Phelan tackled his other self headfirst. A searing pain shot through Phelan's senses as he crashed into the throne made of hellfire, causing it to vanish. In that brief moment of disrupted concentration, the dark tendrils dissolved into thin air, freeing the chipmunks from their grasp. They hit the ground, gasping for breaths of air as they ran to hug their counterparts and held each other tightly.

Both Phelans went sailing through the air, fighting and clawing with each other like two rival wolves. Phelan gained the upper hand as he slammed his other self into the gym's bleachers. The flames of darkness around the floor grew bigger, fuelled by the wrath of the other Phelan, but instead of showing it, the dark chipmunk's eyes grew wide with insanity as he shrieked and cackled.

"_Yes, yes, yes, that's it! Unleash your anger upon me! I knew you couldn't keep it hidden for so long! This is what you were meant to do – it is your destiny!"_

A low growl rumbled deep from Phelan. He raised a paw engulfed with darkness, ready to strike the final blow.

"Wrong! I'm not that chipmunk anymore, and _you know it_!"

He hurled the dark orb at a nearby window, shattering the panes. Light burst from the cracks and shone down like a beacon onto the other Phelan. The dark chipmunk howled in pain as he spat and cursed at his captor, but Phelan held tight and punched him in the face.

And then, he was gone. One minute he was there, and the next, he had joined the wisps of floating specks in the air.

Phelan sank to his knees and savoured the victory for a moment. He looked at Simon and Theodore who were happy to be alive and with their best friends, and that eased the pain a lot more.

He went over to ask Jeanette how she was feeling, but the usually shy chipette let out a gasp of horror and clung tightly to Simon when she saw Phelan.

"Jeanette, what's wrong?" asked a concerned Simon.

She pointed to Phelan. "You're bleeding."

The wolf-like chipmunk looked at his arm. The hellfire had burned off most of the fur, leaving behind raw skin. The pain suddenly came back to him as he noticed a couple of scratch marks, now dripping with both his and his other self's blood.

She shuddered at the thought. "Accident... when I was small... fell down... so much blood..."

Phelan turned his back so that his arm was shielded from Jeanette's view. His tongue made quick work as he licked the blood away like a cat. It didn't heal exactly as he hoped it would in his dreams, but the wound looked less revolting by the time he was finished, and that was more important.

Even Jeanette now had the courage to examine Phelan's singed arm. "You shouldn't be doing that, Phelan. It might cause an infection. Here, let's get you cleaned up."

Jeanette took Phelan by his good arm as she guided him to the washroom. There, she put his burnt arm under the running water for a few minutes while he winced from the sharp, quick pains. She dried it off with some tissues and found a first-aid kit, which she wrapped a bandage around the affected spots, just small enough for Phelan to conceal them under his sleeve.

When they got back to the gym, Alvin was awake and assisted by his brothers, which brought some comfort to Phelan. But his relief was short-lived as Alvin and the others ran over to Brittany. The red-clad chipmunk shook her gently while he whispered, "Brittany, please, you've got to be okay! I need you to be alright!"

Oh, shoot! I forgot about Brittany!

Phelan knelt down, approaching the motionless chipette. The wolf-like chipmunk held Brittany's wrist while he sniffed her cautiously. Feeling a tender, but strong beating pulse, he looked up at the worried faces of the chipmunks and gave them a reassuring smile.

"She'll be alright. Just a little dazed, but some rest will help her get over the shock."

Turning to face Jeanette and Eleanor, Phelan added:

"Listen, could you girls do me a favour? Make sure Brittany's okay for the night, but please don't tell Miss Miller what happened. I doubt she'll believe it, but I don't want her to worry about Brittany. I've caused enough trouble to keep you on your toes as it is-"

He broke off, suddenly remembering that there were his brothers who now stared at him with a look he knew all too well. Here was a complete stranger in front of them, one who was no longer welcome in their ranks.

It was the looks caused by betrayal. The wolf-like chipmunk cleared his throat.

"I guess I owe you guys an apology... and some explaining to do."

* * *

That night, the ever-luminescent moon was shrouded in a foreboding eclipse.

Phelan saw to it personally that Brittany and her sisters returned home to Miss Miller, safe and sound. As the four chipmunks walked home, it was obvious to Phelan that he was getting the silent treatment from his brothers. But an unspoken conversation of the mind lingered between them.

_You call yourself a chipmunk? Hah, I knew you were a half-wolf! Who are you, really?_

_Alvin, I told you I'm one hundred percent pure chipmunk. And my name's really Phelan! Stop asking me that!_

_Those powers you have – the science of umbrakinesis! That's logically impossible! Why didn't you tell us you could do those things?_

_I couldn't; it was too risky to blow my cover. You saw that for yourself._

_Phelan, I... I'm scared. Are you a good guy or a bad guy?_

_I don't know, Theo. I wish I knew._

Nobody said a word, not during dinner, not in front of Dave, and not during the time they took as they brushed their teeth and got ready for bed. It wasn't until the four chipmunks were in the privacy of their room that Alvin was the first to break the long silence.

"Now will someone tell me please, _what the hell's been going on_?"

Both Simon and Phelan shushed him. "You're going to wake the whole neighbourhood!" hissed Phelan. "And please, let Theo get some sleep. He's had a long day without me having to worry about him."

The green-clad chipmunk had immediately climbed into bed and was snoring soundly by the time they got into their rooms. Theodore had not said a single thing throughout dinner, and even Dave couldn't tell why his youngest son was looking so glum and sullen, especially during one of his favourite meals of the day.

Alvin, Simon and Phelan were now sitting on Alvin's bed.

"Okay, first off, I want to say that it's not my place to keep such secrets hidden away, especially since we're family. But for that, I am truly, deeply sorry."

Alvin waved him off. "Yeah, yeah, we heard that before, like the last hundred times!"

"I know I should've been honest from the start, but I can't tell you the truth right now."

"Why not?" asked Simon.

Phelan took a deep breath. "This is something I need all of you to hear. Theodore needs to understand it. And so do the chipettes."

"You're not bringing the girls into this! That's too dangerous! I won't allow it!" warned Alvin.

"Alvin, I understand how you feel. But it's too late – we're all in this together. Especially Brittany. She has to know the kind of guy she wants to take out on a date."

Alvin cracked his knuckles as he glared at Phelan. "I ought to clean your clock for saying that!"

Simon held his brother back. "Can't you just be grateful that Phelan just saved our lives? We would all have been killed if he didn't show up!"

"How do I know whose side he's working on?" yelled Alvin. "You traitor!"

Phelan was about to reply when all of a sudden, a faint moan came from nowhere.

"No... no... no!"

Theodore was trashing under the covers, his whole body was sweating and trembling.

Phelan and his brothers rushed over to Theodore's bed as the green-clad chipmunk jolted up from his sleep. His face had turned white while his green eyes were now marble wide.

"Those dark things..." he sobbed, looking at his brothers, "they were after me... chasing me... I couldn't escape... I want Dave!"

Thankfully, Phelan knew exactly what to do. "Can you leave this to me, guys? I'll get back to you in a minute."

He went over to his mattress and picked up Theodore's bunny which had kept him company these past few nights. The yellow-clad, wolf-like chipmunk sat by Theodore's bedside and pulled his grief-stricken brother into a comforting hug.

"Ssh, ssh... I'm here, Theo. I'm here. You just had a nightmare. Nothing's going to harm you, I promise you that. I'll stay here and watch over you, okay?"

Theodore could only nod in reply as Phelan tucked his stuffed bunny next to him.

Phelan sat there for a while, stroking Theodore's back almost rhythmically until he was sure that the little chipmunk had drifted back into the land of sweet dreams. He kissed his brother's forehead and sighed.

"You're really lucky, Theo. Your heart shines with innocence. If only the world could think like you."

There was a song that Phelan knew deep in memory, and as he thought about his brothers and the future, he sang it from his heart:

_The Milky Way upon the heavens  
Is twinkling just for you  
And Mister Moon, he came by  
To say goodnight to you_

_I'll sing for you  
I'll sing for Mother  
We're praying for the world  
And for the people everywhere  
Gonna show them all we care_

_Oh my sleeping child, the world's so wild_  
_But you've build your own paradise_  
_That's one reason why I'll_  
_I'll cover you, sleeping child_

_If all the people around the world  
They had a mind like yours  
We'd have no fighting and no wars  
There would be lasting peace on earth_

_If all the kings and all the leaders  
Could see you here this way  
They would hold the earth in their arms  
They would learn to watch you play_

_Oh my sleeping child, the world's so wild_  
_But you've build your own paradise_  
_That's one reason why_  
_I'll cover you, sleeping child_

_I'm gonna cover my sleeping child  
Keep you away from the world so wild_

_Keep you away from the world_

_Away from the world so wild_

_Oh my sleeping child, the world's so wild  
But you've build your own paradise  
That's one reason why  
I'll cover you, sleeping child_

_Oh my sleeping child, the world's so wild  
But you've build your own paradise  
That's one reason why  
I'll cover you, sleeping child_

Phelan cast a quick glance around him. He felt a huge weight being lifted from his chest when he saw that Alvin and Simon had drifted off to sleep as well, lulled by the gentleness of his voice. Careful not to make the slightest of sounds, Phelan tucked his brothers in, before climbing into bed.

However, the feeling of uneasiness came back to him as he shut his weary eyes. Phelan may have gotten off the hook this time. Yet, there was always tomorrow, and the next day, and the days after that. Something had to give.

But what good will it do when I tell them the truth, Phelan wondered. My brothers probably hate my guts right now. Brittany will never look at me the same way again. Dave might even disown me. And then I'll end up as an outcast again, kicked out onto the streets to fend for myself.

And then, what would you have me do?

* * *

_To Be Continued..._

_Is the Darkness gone for good? What will become of Phelan once he tells the honest truth? And whose side is our heroic chipmunk really on? Stay tuned to find out!_

_P.S: The song Phelan sings is Sleeping Child by Michael Learns to Rock. I highly reccommend that you listen to it as you read this chapter, for I hope that it will bring you some calm and peace. In a world shrouded in darkness, there are times like these where we need some comfort. :)_

_With best of wishes,_

_-Winddragon._


	8. Hidden Meanings and Half Truths

**Chapter 8: Hidden Meanings and Half Truths**

At seven in the evening, Phelan awoke from a weary nap, still feeling a bit cranky, but anxious as always.

School had been pretty uneventful, but mostly because his brothers weren't talking to him, unless they really had to. Even Jeanette and Eleanor (Brittany was absent, still recovering from the shock) couldn't bear to look him in the eyes and ask him how was his day.

He took the opportunity to address them at the lunch table.

"I understand if you hate me right now. But please, give me a chance to explain everything. Tonight, after dinner. No more delays, no more half-truths. I'll be an open book right there and then."

Right now, he was standing half naked in the bathroom. The events that had taken place these past few days had all struck upon him like thunder, and while the storm clouds were gathering, he knew that someday, it had to break.

Phelan let the tap run and shuddered as he let the cool, refreshing water splash against his face. Or, to be exact, _both_ of his faces.

"_How could you do this to me? I almost had it all back there! And now, I am confined once more into this pathetic state! You're hopeless because you lacked the courage to do what's right, you selfish, back-stabbing traitor!"_

The words came at him, not like branding irons this time, but little pin-pricks.

"I thought I made it very clear," he declared, folding his arms, "as to whose side I belong to right now. You really should stay out of the dark and pay attention a little more."

While he snickered, the other Phelan didn't find anything amusing about that literal pun.

"_You've got to stop this internal war against me! When are you going to learn? I am not one to quote from comic books, but with great power comes great responsibility! You were destined to have this power. You were-"_

"Born to be a killer, vanquish the light, fill the world with everlasting darkness, blah blah blah," Phelan cut in. "Yeah, I've heard the sayings before, but look where I am right now."

"_I taught you better than this, Phelan. You used to enjoy the sight of death standing before you! You are my vessel, my apprentice, the one who plans salvation! What have you done to yourself?" _

The wolf-like chipmunk didn't answer as he dried his face with a towel. "How do you know if I'm not planning something new?"

The anger in his reflection simmered away as a malicious grin took its place.

"_I knew I wouldn't hear the end of it! You're up to something, you sly rodent! Looks like my efforts didn't go to waste after all."_

"Whatever it is, stay out of my way. You've caused enough trouble yesterday, and I doubt things are going to be easier when I tell them about us."

Before the chipmunk could leave, his other self gave him a quick reminder.

"_Don't let them know that you're weak. They'll sense it and use it against you. Remember, you're too good to give in to their demands."_

His words were replied by a hearty laugh as the voice of Phelan bounced off the bathroom walls.

"I was never good," he sneered darkly. "I'm the best at what I do."

* * *

At eight o'clock, the doorbell rang and the chipettes were welcomed in. Phelan was happy to see Brittany, still looking a bit pale but nonetheless fine. He was about to walk up to her when Alvin shoved him aside and took her by the arm.

"I was so worried about you, Britt. How are you?" Alvin pulled Brittany into a hug.

"Fine. Miss Miller said that I need plenty of rest, but I just had to come tonight." She smiled weakly at Phelan and muttered, "Thank you."

Alvin glared at him, but didn't say another word as all seven of them went upstairs. Once they were inside, Alvin locked the door. Now all six of them had completely surrounded Phelan – there was no escaping this time. The red-clad chipmunk folded his arms, eyes locked on this total stranger.

"Explain."

Instead, Phelan held out his arms. "Gather in a circle, and hold hands."

"No, we wanted the truth, and we're going to hear it – right now!"

"That's what I'm trying to do!" snapped Phelan. "Just trust me on this, will you?"

As the seven of them held hands, Phelan willed his thoughts into each of their minds. Immediately, flashes of images whizzed by. It was like seeing all the pieces of a puzzle, random at first, but slowly being put together.

_They were there, walking on the beach – Phelan guiding them to the ocean..._

"_You have to be careful of what you think of in the dream world. Your thoughts become reality..."_

_There was the platform, the torches, the endless star-lit sky..._

"_It goes by many names – Erebus, Azi Dahaka, even the Morrigan. But we all know it by its true name – The Darkness..."_

_A wall of hellfire blocked their path, a nightmarish boar charged at them with murderous intentions..._

"_You leave my friends alone!"_

_Phelan was stabbed, an evil chipmunk towering over his place, then they were all falling – falling into nothingness..._

"_Wake me up! WAKE ME UP!"_

Then the connection broke, and Phelan paused to catch his breath as his brothers and the chipettes stared at him with dumfounded eyes.

"So, that was you in our dreams," said Brittany.

"Yeah."

Simon was the first to regain his composure. "I remember now. You told us something about a being called the Darkness?"

"That's right."

"The Darkness – was it that thing that attacked us both in our dreams and the gym?" asked Eleanor.

Phelan could only nod in reply.

Alvin rolled his eyes. "Well, that certainly brings a new touch to reality. But what has this got to do with us? It's not like we should be afraid of the dark or something!"

"I told you before that the Darkness has the ability to take on many forms. What you saw in the dream and the gym was just a hint of his powers, but he has every reason to look like me."

"What do you mean by that?" asked Jeanette.

"The Darkness is the embodiment of all that is evil, the opposite of good. In this case, he chose me. You remember how I told you in the forest I was an outcast, cast as the scapegoat who was blamed for every misfortune that happened?

"Well, the Darkness saw the anger in me and decided to use it for his own good. Ever since then, I became his slave. But it came at a price – the power of, as Simon calls it, umbrakinesis."

As the six chipmunks watched, Phelan flashed out his paw. A swirling orb of darkness materialized from nowhere. He cupped it in both paws, letting the darkness extend in both fiery directions as he stretched his arms wide. Phelan cast the first orb at the ceiling, killing the light above. With the moonbeams cast into the room, Phelan felt stronger. To their surprise, the wolf-like chipmunk changed the dark orb into different shapes and sizes, before calling all essences of the night back into his body.

Alvin and the others were stunned at this demonstration of shadow play; Theodore hid himself behind Simon's tall figure.

And then, the truth hit them all in the guts.

"You have every right to know. It's a part of me, but -" Phelan took in a deep breath. "I _am_ the Darkness."

* * *

The room became deathly still as the six chipmunks took in the moment to realize the impact those words had on them.

That was something Phelan had expected.

But what he didn't expect was the sudden blur of red as Alvin tackled him. The two chipmunks were rolling on the floor, trading punches and kicking at each other while the others stood there, frightened as lambs, not knowing how to interfere.

"How could you lie to us? You came into our house and we took you in as our brother! And how do you pay our kindness? By deceiving us all, you traitor!" yelled Alvin, his temper rising as each punch connected with his brother's face.

Phelan allowed himself to be thrown onto the surface of the floor where the bedpost cast a shadow. Before Alvin could deal anymore damage, Phelan disappeared into the darkness and materialized behind Alvin. Brittany and the others screamed as he locked his brother in a tight neck grip and pinned the red-clad chipmunk to the floor, a murderous look now glaring in his eyes.

"Listen here, you! I knew right from the start that you were never fond of having me around! But I never meant you and your brothers any harm! I never even tried to steal your girl!" yelled Phelan, pointing at Brittany.

Eleanor looked so full of guilt and remorse.

"Phelan, let him go, please! He'll suffocate!" cried Brittany.

Alvin, who was gasping for breath, still spat out his newly-found hatred at Phelan. "You...can tell me anything... you like... but I'll never believe you! Never!"

Phelan let go, flexing his weary paws. Alvin had put up a good fight, but there were other pressing matters to attend to that needed all the strength he could muster.

"Do you actually think I wanted all of this in the first place?" The wolf-like chipmunk took off his shirt and bared his torso for all to see. There were scars of all kinds etched on his chest and his mahogany-brown fur, but what really gave them the shock of their lives was the black tattoo on his right shoulder.

"The Darkness taught me how to harness my powers, but he was never my teacher. He rewarded me for my incompetence by torturing me, and these scars were my 'souvenirs'! Yes, I was a killer, but only because I was forced to do so!"

The chippettes and Theodore were now trembling as Phelan raved on.

"No matter how hard I try to escape, it will haunt me for the rest of my life!" He pointed to his tattoo. "This is the sign that I am bound to the Darkness – for eternity! And I hated that!

"You were the first people that I could call family! I was never shown any demonstrations of love or kindness – but you, you brothers and your friends changed all that! Do you think I would have the heart to turn my back on all that I cared about? I saved you because I couldn't bear to watch you get killed!" shot Phelan.

Alvin rolled up his sleeves. "Okay, smarty pants, if you cared about us, then let me ask you this question.

"When you first came to our doorstep, did you see the sign on the front of this house that said 'dead chipmunk storage'?"

Phelan wasn't sure whether he should be caught by a trick question.

"Alvin, stop being an idiot. You don't have a sign-"

Alvin raised his voice. "Did you see the sign on the front of our house that said 'dead chipmunk storage'?"

The wolf-like chipmunk sighed. "No."

"Do you know why you didn't see that sign?"

"Why?"

"It isn't there, you moron! Because if we all die, then storing dead chipmunks in this house isn't any of Dave's business, _that's why_! And now you're going to be held responsible!"

"You're all not going to die, I can promise you that," Phelan reassured them. "It's me that the Darkness wants, and it always has been that way."

Simon looked sceptical. "I don't think that's possible right now. The Darkness knows where you are. And because of your little conflict, we all almost got killed yesterday for being a part of it, whether you like it or not."

Alvin looked as though his head had been blown up with a balloon pump.

"Well then, that settles it." He pointed to the door. "Get out of our house now, you backstabber, or I'm calling the police!"

"Alvin!" the others exclaimed.

"I want him out! Can't you see? He's putting our whole family in danger! Do you want to be sleeping with a killer under our roof?"

"Alvin, we can't throw him out!" reasoned Theodore, tears now brimming in his eyes. "He's our brother!"

"Theo's got a point, Alvin," said Simon. "Besides, if we go to any of the authorities, or even Dave for the matter, no one's going to believe our story. They'll think we've got mad."

"Mad, am I? Who's the one with a split personality bent on taking over the world?" yelled Alvin.

Brittany couldn't take the stress any longer. She collapsed on the spot.

"I don't feel too good," she moaned as Alvin and her sisters helped her up. "Can you take me home, please? I need to lie down."

Simon, Theodore, Jeanette and Eleanor were the first to escort Brittany out of the room. Alvin flashed a warning finger at Phelan.

"We'll talk about this later."

* * *

It seemed like eternity before the door creaked on its hinges once more. Phelan was expecting Dave and his brothers to storm in and take him away, but the only one who came in was Alvin.

"You should be grateful that Simon and Theo want you around. You're staying with us."

Phelan smiled. "Thank you."

"On one condition. You tell Dave the truth about yourself."

It wasn't a question, but Phelan was simply shocked. "What?"

"You heard me. I'm giving you two days to tell Dave the truth, or I'm doing it. No cutting corners, no sob stories about your previous life, nothing! I want to be there when you tell him everything."

"Alvin, you know I can never do this. It's good to know that you know what I'm facing, but this is something I must take to the grave."

"Because you _can't _do it or _won't _do it?"

"Both. But mostly, I _won't_. It's an order of secrecy I took when I was first bestowed with the power of darkness."

Alvin's face was still as stern as ever. "I don't care. Either you do it, or I will. And then we'll let Dave be the judge of that."

The door slammed, leaving Phelan all alone with his thoughts.

* * *

Miles away at the local library, another young chipmunk sat comfortably in his favourite armchair with today's paper in his hands.

He was supposed to leave an hour ago, even though the place didn't close until midnight. But he had heard rumours about the place since his arrival, and now was the time to confirm them. As the chipmunk took another sip of his nutmeg juice, he straightened out his silver hoodie, which gleamed brightly enough to illuminate the paper's headlines:

_Newest member spotted in famous chipmunk singing band._

The next page had a rather small article, but it still was enough to catch his hazel brown eyes.

_Mysterious disturbances at school gym._

According to the paper, both articles mentioned a certain Phelan Seville, a new student on the block and the latest addition to the family of singing chipmunks. Was it just him, or was all of this just a mere coincidence?

Definitely not the latter.

"So," he thought aloud, letting the paper rest on his lap. "He's finally here."

The silver-clad chipmunk got up and left, with exactly half-an-hour left to closing time.

"This should be interesting..."

* * *

_To Be Continued..._

_Okay, so now that the chipmunks know his secret, will Phelan be able to live in a perfectly normal family again? And will he tell Dave the truth, or leave it to Alvin? Plus, who's that mysterious guest chipmunk?_

_You'll find out the answers and more on the next chapter! Until then, best of wishes and please leave your reviews! :)_


	9. A Chipmunk's Guiding Light

_Hello once again, my fellow readers! I'm happy to say that this is another chapter put up to continue Phelan's ongoing struggles. Looks like my one-week break is truly paying off. Before we get to the main event, I want to say a big THANK YOU to Periosha for allowing me to put in one of his characters from The Final Stand. You're a live saver by giving me more troubles to keep the story going! Thank you very much, Perry! :)  
_

**Chapter 9: A Chipmunk's Guiding Light**

_It's been almost a week since I found myself a new family. But, can I truly call this place home?_

_I get the feeling that I am not welcome here anymore, and it's my own fault. Maybe I shouldn't have told my friends the truth about me, but I feel as though a great stone has been lifted off my chest._

_Darkness, don't catch me here._

_While everyone has still been kind to me, I can't help but wonder; maybe this is all just a masquerade. I know Alvin is not lying; I can see it in his eyes – he wants me out of his life first chance he gets._

_It's been two days, and yet I still haven't told Dave about my secrets. If Alvin makes the first move and tells on me, I'm scared for the fact that I may end up like another stray dog in the cold, dark world._

_I need someone to talk to, but Simon, Theo and the girls are still as silent as the stars that watch over me. Have I really changed so much in less than a day?_

_But the clouds are changing. Something will happen tonight. And whatever it is, I will face it myself. _

_Darkness, don't catch me here._

_Phelan.  
_

* * *

Alvin was seated in the living room, flicking aimlessly through channel after boring channel. He figured that he might have to settle for another re-run when a knock came at the door.

"Theo, go get it, will you?" he called to the kitchen, not budging an inch.

The pans and the stove rattled in answer. "Sorry Alvin, but since Dave's away at his meeting, I have to cook dinner for three!" came Theodore's voice.

Alvin groaned as he got up, mumbling to himself. "It's probably Simon. What's he playing at, coming home so late from the library?"

The red-clad chipmunk opened the door, and his eyes went wide at the first thing he saw.

Simon was there on the porch alright, but both brothers cast their gaze on the strange guest standing next to him.

It was another chipmunk, but like the others, he was dressed in a silver hoodie that dragged down to his toes. While Phelan's brown fur showed the lushness of the mahogany trees that grew tall and strong in the forest, this chipmunk's fur had a tinge of crispy brown; like the crunchy ends on breakfast toast. And he certainly showed a sense of authority, since he appeared to be a few inches taller than Simon.

Alvin was the first to break the silence. "Uh, Simon, who is this? You didn't say we were going to have a guest!"

The silver-clad chipmunk didn't say anything at first, but merely extended his hand, which Alvin took it in a rather unsteady handshake.

"Name's Andrews, Soron Andrews. I understand that you have some problems, so I came here to sort things out." He spoke with a formal tone, but they could detect a sense of glacial courtesy emitting from this silver-clad chipmunk.

Simon nervously adjusted his glasses. "I found him in the library. Well, actually, he came up to me. Said there was something urgent that he needed to talk to us."

"What about?" asked Alvin.

Soron's hazel-brown eyes were fixed with a serious glare. "It's about your brother, Phelan. I know who he is."

"Of course you should know! Haven't you read the papers; he's our-"

"I _know_ that he's a traitor, a murderer, and the vessel of the being we call the Darkness." There was hatred dripping in every syllable of Soron's voice.

Alvin looked surprised. "How did you – Simon, you didn't tell, did you?"

Before Simon could shake his head, Soron had already folded his arms. "I have my own sources."

Both brothers were speechless.

Soron raised an eyebrow. "Are you going to let me in? Or we can talk it out in the dark and expect to be attacked by some creature of the night."

* * *

Theodore came out of the kitchen, looking just as surprised as his brothers. "Who's that?"

As always, Simon was the first to do introductions. "This is Soron, and he's come to talk to us about Phelan."

"Speaking of which, where is your traitorous brother?" growled Soron.

"Upstairs. He hasn't talked to us all day, but I guess it's because we've been avoiding him." Theodore sounded guilty.

Soron waved him off. "Don't bother. Your 'brother' may have charmed you and your friends with the tales he's weaved and the story of the life he has spun, but you need to hear my part of the story. Then perhaps, you can judge him a lot better."

"Now wait just a minute! Who do you think you are to say what's right for Phelan?" Simon was starting to get a little irked.

"One who sides with the forces of the Light."

Without waiting for the chipmunks to say anything, Soron seated himself down and began to speak.

"I am not a pure vessel like Phelan is; but still, I have been blessed with the ability to wield the power of light in my darkest hours. And there is a reason why I have been chosen to do so.

"Years ago, I was a wild chipmunk, just as you three were; living off the sources of nature and struggling to survive the food chain. If the forest has taught me anything, it's this – if you're strong, you live, if you're weak, you die. And I was the strongest of prey.

"But there was something evil lurking in the woods. Nobody had the courage to fight against it, because those who did ended up dead. It didn't take me long to discover that the one who started all those massacres is _the one who's living under the same roof as you!_

"He found out, and before I could get away, he turned on me. Wiped out my home, my family, everything that I cared for!" Soron was spitting pure venom as he dwelled on the past.

"Then, the Light came to me, when I was huddled up on the forest floor, slowly dying of my wounds. I don't remember much after that incident, but I realized that I had these powers, and I could use them for good."

Alvin cut in. "By good, you mean, you went after Phelan?"

Soron nodded. "He put up a good fight with me. But in the end, I bested him. And we haven't seen each other ever since."

"How long ago was that?" asked Theodore.

For once, Soron's answer didn't contain his hostile tone. "I don't know, I guess it must've been, what, a few years?"

But the silver-clad chipmunk still looked the three brothers directly in the eyes.

"So I want you to heed my advice. Get an exterminator, pest control, anything! Just make sure you don't see one inch of fur from that mongrel who calls himself a chipmunk in your sight. Because he's plotting something, and when it's too late, he'll have your furs on a plate and your heads hanging on the walls of your living room!"

Theodore whimpered slightly as he heard that, and Simon had to pat his shoulder to calm him down.

"Of course, you don't have to worry about him while I'm around," Soron went on. "He's tricky, I'll give you that, but I know his character well, and WHAT THE HELL IS HE DOING HERE?"

* * *

Phelan had come down the stairs to see what the fuss was all about. The moment his eyes caught sight of Soron, his fur raised in sharp hackles and he was growling and snarling like an enraged wolf.

"What are you doing here?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing," drawled Soron.

Phelan leapt from the staircase and pounced on Soron, but the silver-clad chipmunk was quicker. He caught Phelan's grasp as they rolled out of the armchair and onto the floor; Soron's arms clutched around Phelan's neck as he pinned the wolf-like chipmunk onto the ground.

Lifting one paw, Soron raised it into the air. Like Phelan, he was able to summon the essence of the orbs from his will, but while Phelan's was as dark as the night, Soron's was far brighter than the ceiling light.

The silver-clad chipmunk growled, baring his perfect buck-teeth.

"You traitorous rat! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"

"Not if you DROP DEAD FIRST!"

Phelan's legs jerked free and he kicked Soron in the chest. Soron staggered; a little dazed. That gave Phelan all the time he needed to call an orb of darkness into his paw.

Now the two chipmunks stood facing each other, like gunslingers awaiting the moment of the duel. When they hurled their ammo at each other, the effect was like fireworks. Both light and dark collided, creating a blinding flash that was quickly engulfed by the dark, evaporating into nothingness.

Then both chipmunks had blades of their respective elements manifesting from their arms, and they were at each other, slashing and blocking; both equal swordsmen as they were with their powers. Soron jabbed at Phelan to the right, but the wolf-like chipmunk parried with a swipe and aimed for Soron's head. Fortunately, Soron created another flash that blinded Phelan for a moment.

He was about to go for the next blow when Alvin's voice rang out loud and clear.

"ENOUGH! STOP THIS RACKET! You're both going to shatter the furniture and put me in trouble!"

The two duelling chipmunks paused to consider, then they called off their blades and sat down as far from each other as possible. Simon and Theodore sat next to Phelan, while Alvin took Soron's side.

"Look, why don't the two of you just sort it out like proper chipmunks and settle your disputes in a non-bloody manner?" reasoned Simon.

"And how are we supposed to that?" asked Soron.

Theodore had an idea. "Well, you could do what Alvin and Brittany do when they're always fighting – have a sing-off!"

Phelan rolled his eyes. "Oh please, what does that goody-good chipmunk know about sing-offs? He was always the attention grabber back in the forest, and he's just like Alvin! Never knows when to shut up!"

Alvin shot daggers at Phelan briefly while Soron pointed a finger at the wolf-like chipmunk.

"At least I was better at grabbing opportunities than you! You didn't have the guts to stand up for what you thought was right because I'm obviously the best!"

"Then perhaps you should stop hogging the spotlight!"

"I'm not hogging anything! You are!"

"You might as well serve yourself on a dish with garnish in your mouth, because you are in fact – A HOG!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Traitor!"

"Goody two-shoes!"

"Mongrel!"

"Rat-face!"

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but they're much worse than Alvin and Brittany put together," Simon whispered to Theodore, who nodded in silent agreement.

"Fine, why don't you both sing to the same song, and then we'll decide on who's the better singer!" Alvin looked as though he was about to pull his own fur off.

**Phelan **was still glaring at _Soron_, but _**both **_nodded as Alvin set up the surround system. As the music blared on, they jammed with the beat, even performing air guitars as they sang:

**Well, the night's begun and you want some fun  
Do you think you're gonna find it** (_think you're gonna find it_)  
_You got to treat yourself like number one  
Do you need to be reminded_ (**need to be reminded**)

**It doesn't matter what you do or say  
Just forget the things that you've been told**  
_We can't do it any other way  
Everybody's got to rock and roll, whoo, oh, oh_

_**Shout it, shout it, shout it out loud!  
Shout it, shout it, shout it out loud!**_

_If you don't feel good, there's a way you could  
Don't sit there broken hearted_ (**sit there broken hearted**)  
**Call all your friends in the neighborhood  
And get the party started** (_get the party started_)

_Don't let them tell you that there's too much noise  
They're too old to really understand_  
**You'll still get rowdy with the girls and boys  
'Cause it's time for you to take a stand, yeah, yeah**

_**Shout it, shout it, shout it out loud!  
Shout it, shout it, shout it out loud!**_

_**Shout it, shout it, shout it out loud!  
**_**You've got to have a party **_**  
Shout it, shout it, shout it out loud!  
**__Turn it up louder __**  
Shout it, shout it, shout it out loud!  
Everybody shout it now  
Shout it, shout it, shout it out loud!  
**__Oh yeah__**  
Shout it, shout it, shout it out loud!  
**_**Hear it gettin' louder**_**  
Shout it, shout it, shout it out loud!  
**__And everybody shout it now__**  
Shout it, shout it, shout it out loud!**_

Both chipmunks collapsed onto the floor, panting and wiping their sweaty brows.

"So, who's the better singer?" asked Soron.

Theodore nervously pointed out. "Well, we could've figured it out from your performances, but-"

"You just blew up our surround system," Alvin put it matter-of-factly.

"And this isn't American Idol. We're no judges," Simon's dry wits came through.

Soron sighed. "Well, this was pointless, even though we all know I'm best at what I do." He got up and headed for the exit, but turned to glare at Phelan.

"Just know, out of respect for your family, I'm putting our differences aside for now. But if I ever hear so much as one paw being put out of place, I'm coming for you. And then you're a dead mouse."

He slammed the door.

Alvin heaved a breath of relief. "Well, that went well. I suppose the mutt wants his dinner now," he added mockingly to Phelan.

While Simon and Theodore went into the kitchen, out of listening range, Alvin was about to join them when Phelan pulled him aside.

"Don't talk to me," said Alvin. "You still haven't told Dave about your secrets. And your two days are finally up. I'd say you have less than a day before he sends you packing for the pound."

Phelan sighed. "Look, I'm sorry for what I said about you in front of Soron. Can I please make it up to you in some way? Maybe you won't have to tell on Dave."

"And what would that be?"

Another sigh. "I'll teach you in the ways of the darkness, and how to control it."

This certainly caught Alvin's attention, but he was determined not to show it. "Why should I care? I don't want to end up being a monster like you."

"I want you to understand what I've been going through, and hopefully, you won't have to make the same mistakes as I did."

Alvin folded his arms. "Okay, suppose I accept your offer. When do we do this?"

"Tonight, during bedtime. You guys have an attic, right?"

"It's the biggest room we have, but why?"

"Perfect. We'll meet there, just you and me."

"And what about Simon and Theodore?"

Phelan shushed Alvin. "They mustn't know about this – it's our little secret."

The red-clad chipmunk pondered on that. "What's in it for me?"

"You're the one I need to put my trust in, isn't that right?"

* * *

Five hours later, Alvin and Phelan were standing in the attic, facing each other, ready to begin their first lesson.

"The first thing I want you to do," said Phelan as he unhooked his necklace, "is to wear this. It'll help you to stay focused as you train."

"But I can't wear that. That's a keepsake from your mum!" denied Alvin.

"True, but as Simon pointed out, this gem is a moonstone. And it has special properties as an extra reserve from which I draw my powers on," explained Phelan. "Over the years, it has helped me to remain in control of my powers of darkness, but I have learned to discipline myself with or without my mother's necklace."

Alvin seemed convinced, so he wore the gleaming moonstone without any hesitation.

"Now stand away from the light and into the shadows," Phelan ordered his student.

Alvin looked down at his feet. The light shining through the attic's only window was the only source of light available, and Alvin was standing right in that patch of moonshine.

"A shadow isn't just an external part of your body; it must become one with the inner self and your being. Only then can you truly become as invisible as the absence of light."

With that said, Phelan demonstrated by walking backwards into the darkness of the room. Alvin could make out the brief silhouette of the wolf-like chipmunk's body before it completely blended into its surroundings. He felt a light tap behind his shoulder and he jumped.

"Geez, Phelan, you scared me!"

Phelan did look a little guilty. "Sorry. But that's the main point of the exercise. The Darkness insisted that I master this technique first of all so that I could... I could..." He couldn't bring himself to use that k-word again, so he drew a finger across his throat instead.

Alvin grinned. "So you can get the job well done. Yeah, I get it."

"Good. Now get on with practicing."

Phelan watched as Alvin moved out of the light's direction and into the pitch-black space of the room. He could still see a little bit of red blaring from the chipmunk's cap and shirt.

"Ok, so am I supposed to just disappear right now, or what?"

"You've got to feel it in yourself. Believe that you have become one with the darkness," Phelan called out.

Alvin shut his eyes tight and repeated the same thing over and over in his head.

_I am one with the dark. I am one with the dark. I'm a shadow!_

He opened his eyes and looked down once more. Though he couldn't see well in the absence of the light, he definitely couldn't see himself as well. Alvin was about to call out to Phelan when he remembered that he was supposed to be silent. _Just like a ninja_, thought the red-clad chipmunk as he slowly crept behind Phelan. _Oho, I'm going to get you good this time!_

Alvin lunged out and grabbed Phelan's shoulder, but there was a quick twist and Alvin ended up flying through the air as Phelan flipped him over with a perfectly executed judo toss.

"Ow, you jerk! Did you have really have to flip me over?" groaned a sprawled out Alvin.

"It's your footsteps, Alvin. I could hear them like the rock star you are – loud and blaring." He helped Alvin up as he went on. "You still need to learn to be silent if you're ever going to be a ninja."

"What the – But how did you know what I was thinking?"

"Someone's been watching too many movies," the wolf-like chipmunk winked. "I don't have to be a mind-reader to predict certain things, you know."

Alvin may have looked beaten-up, but it only got him more excited. "That was so cool! Can we do it again, Phelan. Please, please, please?"

The mere thought brought weariness to Phelan's muscles. "I think we've done enough for one night," he said, lifting his necklace off Alvin. "I'm tired, and we've got school in the morning. Tomorrow night, okay?"

"Sure thing! But when do I get to shoot fire and control orbs and things like that?"

Phelan grinned. Even as a student, he had never had this much enthusiasm before.

"Let's just master the basics, shall we? Remember this – you are my first and only student."

Jokingly, Alvin put his hands together and bowed. "Yes, Master!"

Once Alvin had left the attic and his footsteps had faded away into silence, Phelan allowed his sides to be split as he chuckled to himself for the first time in years.

But it wasn't a malicious laugh; rather, it came from a sense of _good-hearted humour_.

* * *

_To Be Continued..._

_Whew, that was one heck of a chapter, especially with Soron's last-minute add in! Will Phelan continue to train Alvin in the ways of the dark? And how long will it take before Soron and Phelan go head-to-head again?_

_I don't own any of AatC; only Phelan, and Soron is rightfully Periosha's. The song they rock out to is Shout It Out Loud by KISS, and just for a refresher, _**Phelan sings in bold**_, Soron sings in italics, and **this is when they're both singing**_**.**

Next chapter: It's two guys, a girl, and tempers are coming to a boiling point. What happens next? Keep reading on and please review! Thanks! :D


	10. Dancing In The Dark

_Author's Note: Be prepared. Be very prepared.  
_

**Chapter 10: Dancing In The Dark**

There was something unusual about the way Alvin Seville was behaving today.

For starters, his brothers noticed that Alvin was actually on speaking terms with Phelan; they were hanging around during school hours, spending more time together than with them or the girls. Even Alvin had avoided Brittany completely for the day, which in the eyes of the chipettes, didn't seem to be a good idea.

Whatever it was, there was clearly something going on between those two which had led to a temporary period of truce.

Meanwhile, Alvin did not find himself able to concentrate in class, nor did he participate in the Halloween decoration community even though it was his responsibility. He kept thinking about the night before, when he experienced firsthand that cool and rushing feeling of a flowing river; so this must be what it feels like to be at one with the darkness.

The night drew nearer, which only made it impossible for Alvin to wait for his next training session. Even Phelan had never been more annoyed with Alvin bugging him for what seemed to be the hundredth time that evening as they sat in front of the TV, doing absolutely nothing.

"You're really excited about this, aren't you?" asked Phelan, keeping his eyes on Alvin.

"Of course I am! What are we going to do tonight? More blending in? When are you going to teach me to create orbs and things?"

He looked at Phelan with wide searching eyes, like a puppy awaiting its treat after performing a trick.

Which was why once again, Phelan found it very difficult to be the bearer of more bad news.

"I'm sorry Alvin, but I haven't been honest to you."

"What are you talking about?"

"You remember that training we did yesterday?"

Alvin nodded eagerly.

"Well, that was all just pretend. You never did learn how to control the darkness."

The red-clad chipmunk's mouth was now hanging agape like a wide O.

"But...but... I did blend into the shadows! You saw that, right? I was supposed to learn how to control the darkness within me!"

"That's what you think, but you really weren't doing anything," Phelan said.

Alvin looked as though he was ready to strangle Phelan once more.

"I can't believe you set me up again! Why did you do that?"

Phelan didn't reply immediately; instead, he rolled up his sleeve to show Alvin his tattoo.

"You remember this? This is my mark of darkness. As long as I bare this sign, only I alone can wield the power of darkness. It's not a gift that you can pass to someone; it's a curse that I have to bear until the day I die. Please understand, Alvin. This is my battle, and I can't let anyone else be a part of it."

"But if you really can't pass on your powers, then why did you teach me anyway?"

"Didn't you pay attention to what I told you? It was important that I let you in on what it must feel like in my eyes to be an outcast, and that you wouldn't make the same mistakes as I did."

Alvin just sat there, dumbfounded.

"We all learn from each other, Alvin. It's a matter of gaining each other's trust."

Trust. _Trust_. That very word set his nerves ablaze as Alvin gritted his teeth. Did Phelan really not know the meaning of a simple word as trust, or could he really trust no one that he had to resort to deceptions and lies?

"If you're still keen on ratting me out to Dave, I'll understand your actions," said Phelan, aware of the sudden change in the winds.

Alvin got up, punched the armchair, and headed outside. "Look, just tell Dave whatever you want, okay? I don't care, I'm sick of all this!"

"Where are you going?"

"That's none of your business. Besides, you're not the only one in this family who can keep secrets."

He paused, and his words hung in the air before the door closed.

"But you'd better do what you think is right."

* * *

About an hour later, the doorbell rang, jerking Phelan from a fitful nap on the couch.

I hope it's Alvin, he thought to himself as he stretched and went to answer the door. Perhaps we're in need of a serious talk, brother to brother.

But Alvin or not, the guest waiting outside was a pleasant surprise – at least, to Phelan.

"Brittany? What are you doing here?"

"Hi, Phelan. Is Alvin home?"

"He left about an hour ago. Do you need to speak to him urgently?"

The chipette shook her head. "It's okay. I really wanted to talk to you."

"Oh." Phelan looked at the doormat for a moment, but he quickly snapped out of it. "Come in, please, and make yourself at home."

Once the two of them were seated next to each other, they were in an uncomfortable silence, unsure of what to say.

Phelan broke the ice. "So, what was it you wanted to tell me?"

Brittany took Phelan's arms in hers as she looked deeply into his forest-green eyes.

"I just want you to know that I still believe in you."

Her words caught Phelan like bait on a hook. "Sorry?"

"I didn't believe in the things you said that night. You know, about you being a killer and all. That's not who you really are."

Phelan gave a feeble laugh as he smiled weakly.

"Brittany, look, I really appreciate it that you still care for me. But you saw for yourself the things I'm capable of doing. And the danger that I put you guys through – if any of you had died, I would never forgive myself."

"See? That's what I mean, Phelan. Your eyes, your voice, your heart says it all. How can you think of taking lives when you're too busy thinking about protecting them?" Brittany pointed out.

She was still holding Phelan's paw, and rather than feeling the tender warmth of her delicate skin sending blazes across his touch, the wolf-like chipmunk had to agree with her. "Thank you, Brittany. That really means a lot to me."

The pink-clad chipette's natural blush now matched the colour of her skirt.

"So, did you come here just to hand me the 'Not-Killer of the Year' award?" Phelan added, trying to inject some humour into the conversation.

"Actually, I was hoping you could do me a favour. See, it's about Alvin."

"Has he been giving you a hard time? You two haven't been fighting again, have you?"

"No. But it's quite the opposite. You see..." She let out a huge sigh. "He's been avoiding me."

"Why?"

"I don't know. It's like he ashamed to be around me anymore. Even when we're arguing, he just seems to be distant and walks away."

"Perhaps you should give him some time. My guess is he's nervous just to be in your very presence," suggested Phelan.

"But I don't have all the time! I was hoping that Alvin would talk to me very soon because... because..."

She paused for a moment as she looked around her. With nobody around to eavesdrop, a wave of ease came over Brittany as she spoke.

"Between you and me, I really wanted Alvin to ask me out to the Halloween dance party."

Phelan raised an eyebrow. "You mean, he hasn't asked you yet?"

"Theodore asked Eleanor weeks ago, and Jeanette just said yes to Simon during science class! Why can't Alvin be more concerned with being just a little romantic?"

"Well, if you asked me..." Phelan thought up of a quick excuse. "You know how Alvin's always planning on making a grand spectacle? He might just pull it off in front of the whole school as a surprise for you."

This sent Brittany into a fit of giggles, which brought a glint of her usual self into those enchanting blue eyes of hers.

"Obviously, you've got a lot to learn about being with the ladies," she said.

Phelan laughed a little. Then he steeled his nerves as he willed himself to ask a question he'd been wanting to his whole life.

"Brittany?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you... do you want to dance with me?"

The pink-clad chipette blinked.

"I thought, maybe, if you're in need of a dance partner, I'll be more than willing to help you out until I talk some sense into Alvin."

Brittany giggled once more. Phelan, being the patient one, waited for the verdict as he swallowed a hard lump in his throat.

"Yes, I'll dance with you," she smiled. "Do you want to do it right now?"

Without waiting for an answer, Phelan headed over to the surround system (which Dave had successfully fixed in one day) and poured through the collection of CDs encased in their albums.

"Dave sure has plenty of music from the eighties. I hope you don't mind slow dancing."

Brittany smiled. "Not at all."

After much careful selections, Phelan picked up a disc and put it in the player. Slow, jazzy music with the saxophone embraced the atmosphere as the two chipmunks twirled around the room, their bodies moving together in a slow, steady waltz.

Phelan picked up the beat as he sang along with the music, never taking his gaze off her eyes:

_I feel so unsure  
As I take your hand  
And lead you to the dance floor  
As the music dies  
Something in your eyes  
Calls to mind a silver screen  
And all its sad goodbyes_

_I'm never gonna dance again_  
_Guilty feet have got no rhythm_  
_Though it's easy to pretend_  
_I know you're not a fool_  
_I should have known better than to cheat a friend_  
_And waste a chance that I've been given_  
_So I'm never gonna dance again_  
_The way I danced with you_

_Time can never mend_  
_The careless whisper of a good friend_  
_To the heart and mind_  
_Ignorance is kind_  
_There's no comfort in the truth_  
_Pain is all you'll find_

_I'm never gonna dance again_  
_Guilty feet have got no rhythm_  
_Though it's easy to pretend_  
_I know you're not a fool_  
_I should have known better than to cheat a friend_  
_And waste a chance that I've been given_  
_So I'm never gonna dance again_  
_The way I danced with you_

_Tonight the music seems so loud_  
_I wish that we could lose this crowd_  
_Maybe it's better this way_  
_We'd hurt each other with the things we want to say_  
_We could have been so good together_  
_We could have lived this dance forever_  
_But now who's gonna dance with me_  
_Please stay_

_And I'm never gonna dance again  
Guilty feet have got no rhythm  
Though it's easy to pretend  
I know you're not a fool  
I should have known better than to cheat a friend  
And waste a chance that I've been given  
So I'm never gonna dance again  
The way I danced with you_

They were still holding each other by the waist even as the music died down.

"Brittany, there's something I've been wanting to tell you."

"Hey, you can tell me anything. That's what friends are for, right?"

Right, but will you consider me still as a friend after I've poured my heart to you?

Phelan looked at his paws as he twiddled with them.

"Ever since that night when we played Truth or Dare, I've never gotten over that kiss. It's been playing in my mind ever since, but I've never been more sure of what I'm about to say right now."

That's it. Be brave, be the wolf, and unleash your inner being.

"I really like you, Brittany."

The pink-clad chipette turned to look away from Phelan. When he caressed her soft, flowing hair, she looked at him with a newfound expression.

"I really like you too, Phelan."

And for once, the silence that followed didn't feel so bad at all as they stared into each other's eyes.

"Will you be my date to the dance on Halloween night?"

Phelan was all smiles as he caressed Brittany's dimpled chin. "Yes. I'd be happy to be your date, Brittany."

He leaned forward until their lips came crashing into each other's, and they pulled each other closely; no signs of nervousness or backing off, but they were together now, and nothing was going to tear their love apart.

Gently, he coaxed his tongue into meeting the tip of Brittany's lips. In those few seconds, all the troubles of the world had evaporated into thin air as he relished the pleasures of strawberries, bliss and happiness.

Against his gentle touch, Brittany shuddered. _Is he... tasting me? Why does it feel so right, even when I know it's wrong? Even Alvin has never kissed me as deeply as this before._

The more she thought about it, the less guilty she felt about a certain red-clad chipmunk as she embraced Phelan, returning the kiss with the same intensity and passion he had.

Phelan moved down to her neck. There, he found paradise as he sniffed and nuzzled lovingly into Brittany's fur; completely drinking in her scent and her essence.

"Phelan, stop it. You're tickling me!" Brittany giggled.

As Phelan continued to nuzzle the chipette with all his love, the thoughts in the wolf-like chipmunk's mind ran wild with the possibilities of what he could do with a neck as soft and tender as Brittany's. He could lick it, nibble it, or even kiss it.

But he felt driven by his desire to leave a mark of some kind; to let the whole world know that this pink-clad chipette was Phelan's and his alone.

He moved in to kiss her again, delving deeper and deeper into his hidden urges.

* * *

It was precisely at that moment that Alvin burst through the front door, his mouth frozen in an eternity of silence.

The shocked look on his face was still enough to make Brittany break away from Phelan; the shame of guilt now burning across her blushing face.

"Alvin... I'm so sorry, I didn't mean it."

But her pleas fell on deaf ears as the red-clad chipmunk started to advance towards Phelan.

"GET AWAY FROM MY GIRL!"

In two angry strides, Alvin had closed the distance between him and Brittany. Then he turned and struck her across the face.

Brittany shuddered as she recoiled from the slap, clutching her left cheek and breathing in long, deep sobs.

"Stay out of this!" warned Alvin. Phelan was just about to rush to Brittany's side when Alvin had pushed him aside.

"I leave you alone for a few minutes and you've got your hands all over some other guy?" the red-clad chipmunk yelled at his counterpart.

"No, you've been leaving me alone for as long as you've wanted! You've never cared for me as much as Phelan does!" cried Brittany.

"Why are you bringing in that traitorous mutt? He's got nothing to do with this!"

"That 'mutt' is your brother, and he deserves to be a part of this because he's trying to help you understand how I feel for you!"

"Oh, that's really sweet," drawled Alvin. "I bet he'd be feeling you up your skirt if I hadn't stopped by to watch the freak show!"

"Alvin, shut up! Phelan's sweet because he's really gentle and caring. But I guess that's something you never do, because you're always thinking about yourself!"

"Well, if you care for him so much, then be my guest and get lost and join the pack of losers!"

The silence that followed was punctured by Brittany's shocked voice.

"Are you breaking up with me?"

"No, I want you out of my life!" Alvin yelled, sarcasm piercing his words.

Brittany looked taken aback, but she hid behind a shell of anger as she shouted back at Alvin.

"Well, you can't break up with me, because I'm calling it quits first!"

"I don't care!"

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

"FINE!" they both yelled in unison.

As the chipmunks watched, a tearful Brittany ran out the door. Phelan was about to go after her when something hard and furry hit him in the face, knocking him down.

Alvin was towering over him, his fist clenched into a tight grip as he stared with a murderous look of terror.

Phelan picked himself up. "Okay, I deserved that. I know I've been a jerk to you. But I really didn't want to hurt your feelings. So, can you forgive me?"

He held out a paw.

Alvin took it – and then gave it a quick twist.

Before Phelan could yelp out in pain, Alvin tackled him down, and now they were competing to see who could deal the most blows on the other chipmunk whilst remaining unhurt.

"You think I can forgive you that easily? I DON'T NEED YOUR PITY!"

Simon and Theodore, who had just witnessed the ugly scene, leapt out of the way as Alvin and Phelan bowled into each other. It didn't take them long before they had to pull the struggling chipmunks apart; Alvin was straining against Simon's firm grasp, yelling at his brother while Phelan was eased to his feet by Theodore.

"You lied to me, and then you tried to steal my girlfriend right under my nose? Cheater!" shouted Alvin.

The wolf-like chipmunk rolled his eyes. "For the last time, I didn't mean to steal your girl! Brittany was upset, so I had to comfort her!"

"By putting your paws all over her body? You're worse than an animal!"

But by now, Phelan had completely lost his temper, too.

"Damn you Alvin, you're over-exaggerating! We were kissing because we agreed to a deal!"

"What deal?"

"Brittany's asked me to be her date!"

When Alvin spoke next, his voice was soft but dangerous.

"Say that again?"

"I'm going with Brittany to the dance, moron!" Phelan snapped.

"Why did you do that? You know how much Brittany means to me!"

"She wanted you to ask her out, but you were ignoring her all the time! That's why she came to me instead! Unlike you, my self-obsessed brother, I can make her happy and satisfied!"

The last remaining traces of brotherhood had now vanished completely in Alvin's eyes.

"That's it! You're DEAD MEAT!"

He broke free of Simon's grasp and pushed Phelan to the floor, taking Theodore down with him. Blow after blow, Alvin brought the rain of wrath and frustration onto his floored-out brother, not caring even if he had beaten Phelan's face to a pulp.

They were too busy duking it out that they didn't hear the door open again behind them. Then another voice rang out loud and clear.

"Enough! Stop this, both of you!"

In his haste to pull the two squabbling chipmunks apart, Dave grabbed Alvin and shoved him to the floor. The red-clad chipmunk collided roughly against the wall, but the pain he felt right now wasn't coming from the impact, but it was the hurt of being somewhat mistreated by his father figure.

"Dave, how could you do this? You can't trust me; your son?"

"You know you're better than this, Alvin! What did I tell you about hitting your brothers? We never use physical violence in the house!"

Phelan wasn't the only one who cringed in terror. Dave had never raised his voice that high before, especially in front of the boys.

Alvin tried to defend himself. "But Dave, Phelan's a liar and a traitor! He tried to kill us! And he's really a being called the Darkness!"

"I don't want to hear another word, Alvin! It's bad enough that you're hitting Phelan, but now you're shifting the blame onto him and telling lies!"

"But it's true, I tell you! Ask Simon and Theodore, they'll tell you!" Alvin shouted as he pointed to his brothers.

Dave turned to face them. "Boys, is this true?"

There was no way Theodore could talk; he resembled nothing more than a wreck of fur and emotions.

"Simon?"

The bespectacled chipmunk looked sternly at Alvin. "Phelan risked his life to save us, remember? How could you go around saying that he's a traitor and a murderer?"

Alvin couldn't believe what he'd just heard. He rounded on Phelan.

"What did you tell them, mongrel? You've tainted everyone with your lies!"

And he punched Phelan in the eye.

What happened next came in a flash.

Dave's hand left a mark on Alvin's cheek, and as the red-clad chipmunk picked himself up, he could not control the tears that were falling freely from his face.

A deathly silence fell across the room as no one could believe what was unfolding before them. Even Dave, who had never laid a hand on his boys, realized that he'd crossed the line this time, but Alvin was behaving too much. Instead, he pointed to the stairs as his voice cracked with regretful defeat.

"Go upstairs, Alvin. You're grounded for a week. Starting right now. And I mean it."

Simon, Theodore and Phelan watched in silence as Alvin trod up the stairs. The hurt within him grew deeper with every heavy step, but he would not cry in front of his brothers, least of all the one who betrayed him.

"We're done, traitor! I didn't want you as a brother in the first place, and I never will! You can go and die in the streets for all I care, you pathetic mongrel!"

"ALVIN! Go to your room! NOW!"

The red-clad chipmunk whipped his head to look at Phelan one last time.

"You're not fit to be a Seville, you scumbag! If I wanted to, I would've gone to the zoo to see FREAKS LIKE YOU!"

As the bedroom door banged shut, Phelan felt as though he'd been shot through the heart with a gun that made that very sound. Words of hatred had meant nothing to him over the years, but this time, Alvin's words had seared him deeper than any scar inflicted on his body.

Dave's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "Phelan, are you alright?"

"Yeah... yeah, I'm fine."

"Are you sure? That eye looks serious. Let's find something to clean that up."

Pain was also something Phelan had been used to, but in the course of tonight, what had happened as a chain of unfortunate events had changed everything he was used to knowing. The Darkness may have been the worst scum he'd ever encountered, but it had never brought Phelan down to such a level of hurt and humiliation.

Who was the monster now – Phelan, his other self, or Alvin?

That night, the wolf-like chipmunk was plagued with the nightmares of his brother's hatred ringing endlessly in his ears.

* * *

It was eleven thirty when Phelan awoke; realizing that he'd overslept and was going to be late for school. The other beds were empty, as expected, but did this mean that his brothers had already left without him?

It could've been worse, thought Phelan as he hastily threw his shirt over his chest. Maybe that's their way of trying to avoid me. Things could get a lot worse.

He found out the worst when he got downstairs.

Dave was seated wearily at the table, his head in his hands and his face as white as a sheet. The only sounds that could be heard were the sobs coming from a grief-stricken Theodore, while Simon, even in his sadness, was as calm as a reflection; trying to be strong for everyone.

"Guys, what's wrong? Did something bad happen?" Phelan asked, suddenly feeling a tight grip in his stomach.

Simon came up to Phelan, holding a piece of paper in his paws. In Phelan's eyes, that could have been any regular piece of paper. But to the others, it certainly seemed like this paper contained the death sentence.

The blue-clad chipmunk's voice was bleak, but it came like a knife.

"Alvin's ran away."

* * *

_To Be Continued..._

_I can probably guess what's running through your minds right now. But there are still plenty of questions that are left unanswered. _

_This time, the song selection is George Michael's Careless Whisper. Interesting title, I'd say, considering what has happened that led to this hanging of the threads._

_Anway, please review and I'll see you in the next chapter!_

_- Winddragon_


	11. His Never Ending Torment

**Chapter 11: His Never-Ending Torment**

"We found this taped to the fridge."

Simon handed the piece of paper to Phelan. The ink was smudged in most parts, but there was no mistaking the large and untidy scrawls as Alvin's handwriting.

_Dear Dave, Simon, and Theodore,_

_I've been up all night thinking, and that's when the problem hit me – I just can't think straight._

_I know it's bad enough that I've lost the trust of my best friend, but for you guys to lose your trust in me, there's so much pain going through me right now; I don't know who to turn to anymore._

_So I'm leaving, in the hopes that things will cool off when I'm gone. If you hate me, I'll understand completely, because I know I'm in the wrong. If anyone deserves to be called a jerk, it's me._

_Don't worry about me, and don't call the police. I just need some time to clear my thoughts._

_Love you always,_

_Alvin. _

"He didn't even mention my name. He still hates my guts by now, I know it," said Phelan. "This is all my fault." Panic was beginning to creep into his veins.

"Hey, it's not your fault, okay? We never blamed you for letting this happen," said Dave, still doing his best to remain calm. "Alvin made the decision himself, and we couldn't have done anything to stop this from happening unless we knew about it."

Phelan sighed. "What are we going to do? About Alvin, I mean."

Dave pulled a coat over him. "I'm going to check out the neighbourhood. You boys stay here in case he decides to come back."

"Still... can't we just call the police?"

"I don't think that's what Alvin would have wanted us to do," Simon pointed out. "Besides, a person has to be missing for exactly 24 hours or more before further action can be taken by the law."

"But we can't just sit here and do nothing!

Dave went over and put an arm around his shoulder. "Phelan, I appreciate your concern for Alvin. But there's nothing more that we can do. I have to go, so I'm leaving you in charge of things. You're the big brother now."

Too queasy to handle the situation, Phelan ran out of the kitchen and into the living room. But it seemed that the demons he created had taken on more subtle forms to haunt him.

As he sat down to catch his bearings, a large picture caught his eye. From the looks of the background and the picturesque atmosphere, it was taken after one of the chipmunks' concerts. Dave was posing with his three boys, looking as proud as any father could ever be. And Alvin was the happiest of the lot, beaming from ear to ear in happier times.

And then there were all those medals and trophies displayed on the walls like priceless treasures: Alvin was football captain and best athlete of the year, Simon's diplomas and his trophies from countless science conventions, and pictures of Theodore's dishes stood proudly alongside the platinum albums and other awards.

They were one small but happy family, and now those ties that held them together had been ripped apart into shreds.

Phelan put his head in his hands and sighed into his knees.

Oh bloody hell. What have I done?

* * *

The last remnants of sleep took hold of him, and he slipped away from the backbiting reality, crossing into the threshold of dreams.

Once he picked up the crashing of the waves against the shore and the crunchy feeling of sand wedged in between his toes, Phelan felt at ease to lower his guard a little – he could always rely on the sanctuary of his little beach.

"_Welcome back. It's been ages since we last spoke, don't you think?_"

Startled, Phelan turned around. The sanctuary had been tainted by the foreboding presence of the dark being that appeared as he pleased in the eyes of his tormented.

"Don't you have anything else better to do?" Phelan growled. "Why don't you just get a life and stay out of my dreams!"

"_Haven't you forgotten? Being two halves of the same wholesome, it is my privilege to be a part of your life as you are trapped in mine._"

The dark chipmunk leaned back comfortably on thin air. Phelan was seized with a sudden urge to tip him out from his centre of balance. One push, one shove, anything to wipe the smirk off that smug and despicable face.

"_By the way, that was pretty smooth – those moves you pulled off with that Miller girl. I didn't know you had it in you, you sly Casanova. Especially the part when you stood her up against your brother._"

The other Phelan chuckled darkly, and Phelan was seized by a sudden suspicion.

He jabbed a finger at his other smirking self. "It was you! You did this to me!"

"_Look, I'm not responsible for your raging hormones. You have no one but yourself to blame for expressing your unrequited love!_"

"Unrequited? I love her, and she loved me in return!" yelled Phelan.

"_Deny it all you want, my innocent pup. Has it ever occurred to you that she might have been –what's the phrase – lying through her teeth?_"

The silence that came from Phelan was that of complete resilience.

"_Open your eyes, Phelan! It's obvious she still has feelings for Alvin, and she's using you to get to him!_"

"If Brittany wanted to get to Alvin, they wouldn't have broken up over me being the third party! I'm sick of you filling me with your endless lies!"

"_So the pot calls the kettle black?_" challenged the other Phelan. "_Look at how much you've accomplished in seven days! All those hatred spewing from the concoction of your lies – and you did it without me standing in your way!_"

"SHUT UP!"

Remembering how Alvin had viciously attacked him, Phelan clenched his fist and lunged at his other self. His punch connected with the other Phelan's right eye, and the dark chipmunk went down like a stack of dominoes.

But just as he felt his fur come into contact with his other self, a sharp surge shot straight up his senses, exactly at the eye in which he'd been punched. Phelan fell to his knees, doubled over in pain.

Now it was the other Phelan's turn to relish in the moment of hurt as he got to his feet.

"_Why are you hitting yourself? It hurts, doesn't it? You're not the only one in command of your dreams – and it looks like you can't even control your body anymore._"

"What are you talking about?" asked Phelan, but he looked at his arms as he spoke.

The sight which beheld him now took him by surprise.

Instead of the usual mahogany brown fur, they were now turning into a lighter shade of black – almost as dark as a panther's pelt.

"_Our time is growing closer, my little chipmunk. Soon, I will be in possession of a whole new body once more, and you, you will never live to see it happen!_" the other Phelan sneered maliciously.

"No! I won't let it happen, and you can't stand in my way!"

"_And how do you intend to stop me? For I am the bane of the night, the king of shadows, the lord of the darkness!_"

"Stay here forever in my world of dreams, where you'll be all alone with nothing to accompany you but your cowardice."

He picked himself up and walked towards the light; not once did he look back as the dark chipmunk called out behind him.

"_Don't walk away from me, Phelan! I told you, you can't escape your destiny forever. You were meant to destroy everything you touch, because that is who you truly are – a destroyer of life!_"

The shouting meant nothing to him, but in that split second before the dreaming and the awakening, Phelan could almost hear the dark chipmunk's final threats.

"_I'll destroy you first, and then you'll destroy everything!_"

* * *

Tensions were rising in the Seville household.

And Phelan was already accustomed to it even before he sat down in the dining room; his brothers and their counterparts gathered together to support each other in their darkest hours.

Simon heaved a loud sigh. "I can't believe I'm saying this. It's been three days since Alvin left, and still we haven't heard a single word. I don't know how much more we can take this."

Theodore choked back a tear in agreement. He didn't say anything, but Phelan knew that the situation was too much to handle, even for the green-clad chipmunk. What point is there in the grief of losing someone you cared for; compared to the agonizing torment of not knowing when will you see him again, or if he will even come back at all?

After a few seconds, Simon continued to speak. "I've never seen Dave so worried before. He coops himself in the house all day long, and the only time he ever goes out is to look for Alvin. If we go on like this all week, I don't think we'll be able to sign any record deals at all."

The girls could do no more than to reassure the grief-stricken brothers with the simplest act of company and the comfort of their hugs, which left a weight of guilt inside of Phelan as he asked the question he was dreading to hear its answers.

"How's Brittany?"

Jeanette shook her head. "Terrible. She won't eat, she won't leave her room, and she's blaming herself for causing the fight between you and Alvin."

"Yeah, and every time she sees something that's red in colour, she cries herself to sleep. That's really bad, considering you know what her surroundings looks like," said Eleanor.

As if he could feel the pink-clad chipette's sorrow clouding him, Phelan covered his face, almost ashamed of having to ask.

Theodore noticed something was amiss. "Are you okay, Phelan? You don't look too good."

I took the bull by the horns. I invited the wolves to dine with the sheep. Surely there must be some resentment burning in their hearts by now.

"How can you guys not be mad at me, considering all of the things I've done to hurt you and tear this family apart?"

Simon rolled his eyes, but his dry wit was immediately replaced by that of concern.

"For the last time, Phelan, no one blames you for these things! We never wanted them to happen as much as you do."

Eleanor nodded as she looked at Phelan. "You've got to stop beating yourself up. You're still our friend, but you're like our brother now, remember?"

"But I broke the sacred code of brotherhood! It's bros before-"

"Okay, I think we all get the point," Simon hastily cut in. He gave Phelan a quick sharp look before Theodore could even ask what the sacred code really was.

They sat there drowning in their silence, each one unable to come up with a plan to salvage what could be possibly saved.

It took the wolf-like chipmunk less than a second to decide his next move.

Simon put himself between Phelan and the back door. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Look, sitting here and moaning about our misfortunes isn't going to get us anywhere! If we want to see Alvin again, the only way to do so is if we take matters into our own paws."

"But Dave said not to leave the house until-"

The blue-clad chipmunk never got to finish his sentence as Phelan snapped out of his nerves, turning to face each chipmunk with pent-up feelings of his own.

"Simon, I know you're the smart one, so why can't you figure something out? Has it occurred to you that our brother could be in danger! He wouldn't have walked out if it wasn't for me!

"Theo, would you go looking for your teddy if he went missing? I know he's not like Alvin or Simon or even me, but I've seen how much you care for him when you tuck him into bed at night! Don't you feel the same way for Alvin?

"Jeanette, Eleanor, I know this is too much for me to ask of you, but wouldn't you rather see Brittany be her usual cheerful self again? I've seen her with Alvin, and those are the happiest times of her life! Don't you ever cherish those moments you have with Simon and Theodore?"

The four chipmunks stood there dumfounded, unable to give an answer. Phelan took a deep breath.

"Look, do what you want, but I'm going out to look for Alvin. You can try to stop me, but I'll still insist on going, because that's what brothers do – they stand up for each other."

Simon gripped Phelan's shoulder. "Wait."

"Simon, I told you-"

"If you're going, then we're coming with you."

One look of beaming confidence from Simon, Theodore, Jeanette and Eleanor was all it took to lift Phelan's spirits.

"Thanks, you guys. I guess I owe you big time, huh?"

Fuelled with a new sense of determination, they headed out the back door.

"What the-" was all Phelan managed to say before he hit the ground.

Soron's fist balled and struck out against the other side of his face. As Phelan lay there writhing and moaning in agony, the silver-clad chipmunk was already upon him, throttling Phelan with his bare paws.

"I told you I'll kill you if you ever stepped out of line." The words came out clearly, but without the slightest hint of emotion. "Right from the start, I always knew you were a traitor."

"Oh, I guess that's new huh, moron! Where'd you get your sources from, ten years ago?" gasped Phelan, struggling to keep his voice even under all that external pressure.

"Your egotistical brother made it clear to me, as he was trying to escape from you."

There was no mistaking the shock in the chipmunks' gasps, but no reaction was greater than Phelan's as he flipped Soron onto his back, grabbed him by his hoodie and pinned him down.

"You saw Alvin? Tell me where he is!"

Soron's laughs came in dry hacks. "You fool, what's the whole point? I can tell you the truth, but he's probably in a different place right now! Heck, he might not even be there for all I care!" he scoffed.

Rage filled Phelan; a rage stronger than feeling trapped and being blind in the dark. Without taking a second to realize his actions, he bared his buck teeth and clamped down hard onto Soron's shoulder.

The screams that rang from Soron filled Phelan's ears with the sharp vibratos of music. He could sense the pain he was creating, but he drank it in as he put his foot down on the silver-clad chipmunk's arm, in which the chorus rang louder and stronger.

Phelan was so caught up in the symphony of suffering that he didn't feel the pressure of being pulled away as it took the strength of all four chipmunks to lift him off a weary Soron.

"Stop it, Phelan! What's gotten into you?" yelled Simon, trying to slap some sense into him.

Jeanette looked like she was going to pass out any moment.

"Oh my gosh, he's bleeding! Eleanor, get me the first aid kit under the sink! Theo, bandages! Simon, don't just stand there, help me!"

As the thoughts of his sanity came rushing back to him, a cold wave rushed down Phelan's spine as he realized the cause of the dark deed he'd done.

He ran his tongue over his teeth. His heart missed a beat.

Was it just his imagination, or did he really feel a prick from his rapidly developing canines?

* * *

Minutes later, Phelan and Soron were seated on opposite sides of the living room, but they were still threatening each other with deathly glares.

The chipettes were able to stop the bleeding on Soron's shoulder, now his arm was tightly wound in a sling. Phelan held an ice pack which he dabbed both his eyes with, wincing from the occasional numbness.

"Holy freaking nuts!" Phelan swore. "Why is everybody out to give me a black eye?"

"It's because you deserve it, you jerk," muttered Soron, and Phelan knew it was wise not to cross any more paths with this smart-aleck. At least, not for today.

As the chipmunks watched, Soron reached out with his good arm and caught the light of a nearby lamp onto his paw. He then transferred it to his bad arm, which now glowed a warm and brilliant orange. In a few seconds, Soron had taken off the sling and was now flexing his arm, as though nothing had jumped onto it.

"That's quite a display of photokinesis there," remarked Simon, clearly amazed. "Do you think you could work your healing powers onto our sorry brother over there?"

While his arm was as good as new, there was nothing different about the way Soron spoke. He still treated you like dirt. And he thought of himself as a new broom.

"In case you haven't figured it out, smart guy, I'm a chipmunk, not some miracle worker!"

Jeanette shot him a dirty look, while Simon shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, at least I did ask."

* * *

Thanks to Soron's unforeseen intervention, Phelan had to call off the rescue party and decided to wait with his brothers until Dave came home.

Usually, cooking was the only thing that brought joy into Theodore's life, yet nothing that came out from the oven seemed to have the tiniest spark of a life of its own.

The green-clad chipmunk's presence may have been in the kitchen, but it was clear that his mind was elsewhere.

"Hi Theo, I just came in to look for something to eat. All that fighting does make me hungry." Theodore's vague concentration jolted back with a flash as he saw Phelan about to reach out for one of his cupcakes.

"No, don't eat that! It's not perfect enough, trust me!"

"Theo, I can't possibly hold a grudge against your food."

And before Theodore could protest, Phelan had swallowed the cupcake whole.

He pulled a face. "That's a little sour, don't you think?"

For once, Theodore didn't seem to pay attention to any constructive criticism of his food, so Phelan decided to change the subject. "You miss him a lot, don't you?"

A silent nod was all in reply.

Phelan took a second cupcake and chewed on it slowly. After a few bites, the taste didn't seem so bad; there was still something that was sweet and hopeful about those cupcakes, just like the chipmunk that created them.

"I know you're worried about Alvin, Theo. So am I. But hey, that letter 'A' on his shirt doesn't just stand for his name. You know what else it stands for?"

"What?" asked Theodore.

Phelan smiled. "It stands for awesome, adventure loving and filled with adrenaline. Because that's how he always manages to keep out of trouble."

The two chipmunks laughed heartily over that little joke.

"Theo, I'm about to let you in on a little secret, okay? Promise me you won't tell anyone?"

Theodore's ears drooped. "Is it bad? I don't want to be hated on like you and Alvin."

"Don't worry; this is just between you and me. It's important that I tell you anyway."

Theodore raised an eyebrow. "But why?"

Phelan gave him a gentle pat and ruffled his hair a little.

"Because right now, you're about the only person I can fully trust. And don't tell anyone I said this, but you're my favourite brother."

"Oh... okay." A smile formed on the corner of Theodore's mouth as he leaned in closer to listen to what Phelan had to say.

And the rest of the conversation was lost in a series of whispers, gasps and silent nods.

* * *

_The darkness closed in on him again, which strengthened Phelan's resolve to make that link with the minds of the subconscious once more._

_It would be difficult, having to find the connection from a source that came from an unknown distance, but the search was effortless._

_Phelan picked up an aura of red in the midst of blacks and blues, and so he delved deeper, hoping to find what he was searching for._

_And at last, he found the source of it all..._

_There was a red-clad chipmunk huddled in the corner, his cap shielding his face. His face was buried in his knees as he wept in silence._

_As Phelan reached out to comfort him, he froze as he saw a shadow slowly creeping up behind the crying chipmunk. Before he could shout out a warning, the darkness had pounced on him and engulfed him, carrying him off into the endless abyss. _

_And then, there was nothing left save the dins of terror that echoed through the wolf-like chipmunk's ears...  
_

* * *

Phelan didn't remember screaming when he woke up, but his pyjamas were drenched in a cold sweat and his paws were gripping tightly onto the bed sheets.

Simon and Theodore were by his side, flashlight beaming in his face.

"We heard you talking in your sleep," said a worried Simon. "What is it?"

Phelan allowed himself to catch his breath. When at last he spoke, his voice was edged with determination as he grinned confidently at his brothers.

"I know where Alvin is."

* * *

_To Be Continued..._

_So, what do you think was the secret Phelan told Theodore? And will they be able to find Alvin in time before something bad happens?_

_Tune in to the next chapter to find out! ;)_

_- Winddragon_


	12. Threads That Bind

**Chapter 12: Threads That Bind**

If you happened to be walking by yourself on the cold and lonely streets tonight, no one in their right mind would stop you in your tracks and ask you what your problem was.

If you saw three human-sized chipmunks scurry past you right now in a hurry, no one would blame you if you didn't turn your head around to take a second glance.

But if you only knew the turn of events that led to the coming of this strange occurrence, then perhaps you would have been better prepared to face what lay beyond the shadow of darkness...

"You are aware that Dave is going to kill each of us when he finds us missing from our beds, aren't you?" asked Simon as they turned the corner leading from the housing areas.

Phelan was running in the lead, the tails of his favourite black trench coat dancing in the night wind.

"Which would you rather prefer; being cooped up in the house and waiting for answers all day long – or being grounded with all four of us brothers together again?" asked the wolf-like chipmunk.

Theodore, being the smallest and least fit of the group, had to take three steps just to catch up with Phelan and Simon's brisk runs. "Simon, I'm tired! Can we just stop for a few minutes?"

"Sorry, Theo, but we'll have to keep running if we want to see Alvin again!" panted Phelan; his motivation was burning stronger than ever in the hopes of reuniting his family again.

They had left the streets and were now out in the open where the park was a few minutes' walk from there. Simon paused for a moment as he wiped his fogged-up glasses with his sleeve.

"How exactly can you pinpoint Alvin's location immediately right after a dream? It might just have easily been a coincidence. You can't prove anything, you know," the doubtful blue-clad Simon pointed out.

Was it necessary that everything had to be proven factual by science? The wolf-like chipmunk groaned, but that did not falter him in his stride. "Look, guys, just believe me on this, okay?"

It was at times like these that Phelan wished he'd been blessed with the ability to see the future instead; in the hopes that what he saw in his dreams could be confirmed in reality.

But there was a silent voice inside reminding him to keep an eye on the past.

Because if Phelan knew of the events following Alvin's disappearance, then he could've easily seen how the pieces of the puzzle had fallen into place...

* * *

_Fourty-eight hours ago..._

While Alvin kept on running, his agile feet were straining under the numbness of exhaustion. Nevertheless, he pushed himself to carry forward, blinking back the tears that stung his eyes.

How could have Phelan sunk this low to bring him down to a world of hurt and despair he had never experienced before? And Dave, that was the first time he'd ever lay a hand on his own son. He didn't know which hurt even worst – the fact that he'd been slapped, or that none of his own family members could believe him right now.

"Woah, woah, slow down there. You're going to give yourself a heart attack."

Alvin paused. He now found himself in the middle of the city park, where not a living soul could be seen or heard. But Soron was there, and he was leaning comfortably against a lamp post, probably taking in the night's quiet and lush scenery.

"What are you doing here?" asked Alvin.

"I live here. And believe it or not, I'm the park keeper," he said matter-of-factly.

It didn't take long for Alvin to notice the smirk on Soron's face as he spoke.

"You're a bad liar," said Alvin.

Soron simply shrugged his shoulders. "Fine, that's up to you to decide. But what are you doing here, anyway? Isn't it a little bit past your bedtime to be wandering around away from home?"

Alvin shot him a dangerous look. "I don't have a home anymore."

"You sound like you've been having a bad day. Care to tell me what the cat dragged in?"

By the time Alvin had finished telling his story, the street lights were growing dimmer – probably a sign that Soron was beginning to nod off. The red-clad chipmunk had to nudge him in the ribs to jolt him back to his senses.

"You see, I was right; I told you not to trust him. That mongrel who calls himself a chipmunk is a seriously bad influence," said Soron.

But it was the part where Phelan had decided to 'train' Alvin in the ways of the dark that sent him into a laughing fit, rolling all over the ground like a playful dog.

"I can't believe you fell for the oldest trick in the book! Even I never offered anybody the chance to be trained under the guidance of the Light!"

He failed to notice Alvin's eyes light up with hope. "So, can you teach me, instead?"

Another bout of guffaws and legs dangling in the air followed.

Soron wiped his eyes. "Oh please, if I could do that, then I'm the next Santa Claus!"

Alvin didn't seem in the least bit impressed.

"You know, for a chipmunk who's supposed to control the powers of light, you're awfully dull-witted."

"And for an international rock star who just happens to be the oldest brother, you're acting more like an immature show-off. That's what probably got you kicked out in the first place."

By this time, Alvin had gotten completely fed up. He adjusted the rim of his cap and stormed off, away from that laughing idiot of a chipmunk.

"Hey, where do you think you're going?" Soron called out.

"I don't care. But anywhere's better than here."

And just like that, Alvin was completely out of sight.

As Soron returned to his composure of being serious, he took it upon himself to study the situation that now lay before him, and finally, he made up his mind.

A scheming and fuming Soron left the park and headed for the streets.

_I'm going to kill that traitorous and pathetic excuse for a chipmunk_, he told himself firmly.

* * *

_Thirty-six hours ago..._

Jeanette could feel the butterflies fluttering aimlessly in her stomach as she knocked on her sister's door.

"What do you want?" snapped a voice at the other end, which made the timid bespectacled chipette jump a little.

"Brittany, it's me, Jeanette. May I come in?"

There was silence, followed by a muffled reply. "Sure."

As she turned the doorknob and looked in with great anxiety, Jeanette saw that Brittany was sitting on her bed, hugging her knees in despair. Her tangled hair had now lost its usual glossiness and her eyes were swollen and puffy. From the looks of it, she hadn't gotten out of bed for days.

Jeanette swallowed a huge lump in her throat. "I came to see if you were alright."

She immediately ducked as Brittany threw one of her crumpled dresses at her.

"Does it look like I'm alright? You're probably laughing at me right now because I brought this all on myself!" yelled Brittany.

Ignoring her sister's moody swings, Jeanette went up to Brittany's bed and sat by her side. "No one blames you, Brittany. You were just trying to help out Phelan because Alvin wasn't there when he needed you," she said reassuringly.

Brittany choked back a sob, and then let out a huge sigh.

"What if Alvin's right? What if I was just letting Phelan feel me up and down with his paws?"

"Brittany, you know you're way much better than that. You would never give yourself to anyone unless it was Alvin. You still love him, don't you?"

"That's what I thought," sobbed Brittany. "I always thought that Alvin treated me as just a friend and nothing else. But then Phelan turned up, and just being around him, I started to realize just how special Alvin was, and what he really meant to me. Now he's gone, and I can't help it that my heart feels like it's never going to mend itself again. And... I really miss him, Jeanette!"

The weight of her emotions was just too much for Brittany to bear as she broke down and bawled in Jeanette's comforting hug, feeling like a child who was afraid to face her darkest fears.

The bespectacled chippete petted her sister's back as she grabbed a nearby tissue to wipe away the tears. "I'm sure if both Alvin and Phelan were here, they wouldn't want to see you in your present condition," reasoned Jeanette. "You've got to stay strong for both of them, ok?"

She stayed with Brittany for awhile until the sound of Miss Miller's voice called out to come downstairs and have their dinner. With a heavy heart, Jeanette got up and headed for the door, while her sister simply remained in her fortress of solitude.

"If you're hungry, I'll tell Miss Miller to come upstairs to bring you something to eat, alright?"

Brittany nodded, but Jeanette knew it was just her polite way of still refusing to do anything, not at least until Alvin came running back into her arms.

She started to feel a little sleepy after Jeanette left. It was true that she'd been spending the last few days sleeping as much as she had been crying, but that was her way of coping with Alvin's disappearance. How she longed to turn back the hands of time, just so that she never would've met Phelan and spent more time with Alvin instead.

There was an unusual lump rising out of her heart-shaped pillow. Her frustrations bundling up under her nerves, Brittany reached under it with a hand until she had found the object. She was about to throw it away when she caught a proper glimpse of it and hesitated.

Her bottom lip started to quiver.

It was her favourite Alvin doll – the very same one that she'd manage to keep safe with her after their hair-raising balloon trip around her. The exact alikeness of that doll reminded Brittany harshly of all the good times she'd spent together with Alvin, as well as the bad when he had slapped her and walked out of her life. Still, it was the closest the pink-clad chipette would ever get to remember her best friend.

Silent tears coursed down Brittany's face as she held on tightly to that doll, never wanting to let go of it, even for a second's worth. She could almost hear _**Alvin**_ joining her in melodic harmony, keeping her company with her sorrows in song:

_**Turn around**__  
Every now and then I get a little bit lonely __and you're never coming around  
__**Turn around**__  
Every now and then I get a little bit tired of  
listening to the sound of my tears  
__**Turn around**__  
Every now and then I get a little bit nervous  
that the best of all the years have gone by__  
Every now and then I get a little bit terrified __and then I see the look in your eyes  
_

_**Turn around, bright eyes**__  
Every now and then I fall apart  
__**Turn around, bright eyes**__  
Every now and then I fall apart_

_And I need you now tonight_  
_And I need you more than ever_  
_And if you'll only hold me tight_  
_We'll be holding on forever_  
_And we'll only be making it right_  
_Cause we'll never be wrong_  
_Together we can take it to the end of the line_  
_Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time_  
_I don't know what to do and I'm always in the dark_  
_We're living in a powder keg and giving off sparks_  
_I really need you tonight_  
_Forever's gonna start tonight_

_**Forever's gonna start tonight**_

_Once upon a time I was falling in love_  
_But now I'm only falling apart_  
_There's nothing I can do_  
_A total eclipse of the heart_

_Once upon a time there was light in my life_  
_But now there's only love in the dark_  
_Nothing I can say_  
_A total eclipse of the heart_

__

_**Turn around, bright eyes**__  
Every now and then I fall apart  
__**Turn around, bright eyes**__  
Every now and then I fall apart_

And I need you now tonight

_And I need you more than ever_  
_And if you'll only hold me tight_  
_We'll be holding on forever_  
_And we'll only be making it right_  
_Cause we'll never be wrong_  
_Together we can take it to the end of the line_  
_Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time_  
_I don't know what to do and I'm always in the dark_  
_We're living in a powder keg and giving off sparks_  
_I really need you tonight_  
_Forever's gonna start tonight_

__

_**Forever's gonna start tonight**_

Once upon a time I was falling in love

_But now I'm only falling apart_  
_There's nothing I can do_  
_A total eclipse of the heart_

_**A total eclipse of the heart**_

_A total eclipse of the heart_

_**Turn around, bright eyes**_

Brittany wiped her teary eyes with the corner of her sleeve, and she leaned in to give her doll a goodnight kiss before tucking it next to her side.

It would take her a while before the flow of her tears would let the pink-clad chipette drift back into sleep...

* * *

_About two hours before the craziness started..._

The bathroom light glared uncomfortably along the nape of Phelan's neck as he took off his clothes and washed his fur, getting ready for bed.

It seemed that he looked all filthy after his confrontation with that busybody and abrasive Soron, so Phelan grabbed the nearest bar of soap and set to work.

He scrubbed harder at his paws until he was certain they were almost raw to the skin. When that didn't work, he ran his fingers carefully over the furs on his chest, inspecting each strand with a careful eye.

They were tainted black, like the creatures that had come to plague his dreams and nightmares. Pretty soon, that wasn't going to be the only part of him that was stained with evil.

Phelan sank into the bathtub, his eyes widened with sickly-green fear.

The terror he felt was for his immortal wolf-like soul.

* * *

_Back to the present..._

Phelan put the brakes on as he took in his new surroundings. "Guys, I think we're finally here."

"Are you sure about that?" asked Simon, while Theodore simply stared with his mouth hanging agape.

"Positive. I never forget the looks of a place."

The three of them were now standing in an old warehouse that had been abandoned for years. Apart from the fluorescent lights and the worthless scraps that lay scattered around the place, there was nothing or no one else familiar in sight.

Except for the fact that they weren't the only ones alone.

Phelan's hawk-like eyes peered out into the pitch blackness, and he saw a shadow lurked around the corners behind a huge metal pipe. Taking care not to give away the element of surprise, the wolf-like chipmunk motioned to Simon and Theodore to remain silent as he crouched behind the pipe and turned an inch of his head around to see who it was.

His frantic heartbeats turned into rhythms of relief as he stood straight up and confronted the not-so mysterious chipmunk who he knew very well.

"Alvin, thank goodness, I was so worried about you!"

The red-clad chipmunk was indeed sitting there, crying his heart out. When he first caught sight of Phelan, he quickly wiped his eyes and stood up, towering over Phelan with his newfound anger.

"What more do you want from me, traitor? You stole my girl and my family! Now you've kicked me out of my house! You've got two seconds to leave before I make minced 'munk out of you!"

Phelan winced in shame; he knew he wasn't going to expect any hospitality this time.

"Alvin, I'm..." He paused, hoping to find the right words to calm the savage beast that lashed out at him. "I'm really, really sorry about the things I did. I never wanted to hurt you, believe me, Alvin. You're my brother... and – I love you."

The anger in the red-clad chipmunk suddenly died and gave way to complete surprise. He studied the quiet, composed figure of Phelan who was now staring at the ground, shuffling his feet ever so slightly. "What did you say?"

"I said I love you – as a brother. Because, hey, isn't that what a family's for? We're supposed to look out for each other, stand together through thick and thin, but most of all, we'll always go to the ends of the earth just so that we'll always be safe and sound."

Bewildered, Alvin turned to face his brothers, who both nodded their approval.

"He came all the way from home and dragged us along for the ride, just to find you and bring you home," said Simon.

Both Alvin and Phelan looked at each other, their hard gazes softened just a little, as though they made way for their souls to reach out and touch each other.

But before Phelan could make any further amends, a great force shoved him to the side and knocked him down.

The wolf-like chipmunk growled as he glared up at the presence of his rival.

* * *

"Soron! What the hell are you doing here?"

There was a dull sheen in the chipmunk's silver eyes as he rolled them in annoyance. "Geez, it's always the same old questions every time we meet. What are you doing here? Why can't you just get lost and die?" He licked his lips, almost savouring the thought of the next question. "When do I finally get to kill you?"

Phelan took a step between Soron and his brothers, acting as a chipmunk-sized shield. "Get out of here and leave us alone! This has nothing to do with you!"

"Don't be ridiculous! Ever since you settled down to play 'little house on the prairie', it's always been about us! You lied about wanting to bring peace to this family, when all you did was try to tear it down to bits! I can't let you do this anymore, Phelan. Your time in this world is finally up."

"What do you know about taking over my roles?" demanded Phelan.

Soron chuckled darkly. "Well, I've been doing some thinking, and I believe I've come to my most valuable thesis."

He wasn't expecting Simon to beat Phelan to making a remark with his dry wits as the blue-clad chipmunk folded his arms. "Oh, really? Explain."

Soron fluffed out the rims of his hoodie before he cleared his throat and addressed Phelan.

"Your dear brother had spilled to me that you have a dangerous alter-ego that's been trying to kill all of you and take over the world, am I correct?"

Phelan glared at a now sheepish-looking Alvin, but he nodded.

"And the reason being is because you two share the same existence, isn't it?"

"Just get straight to the point, will you?" snapped Phelan.

"Therefore, by killing you, I end your miserable life, as well as your other half. You both stop to exist. The world will be a much better place. Period." Soron grinned as he put a cynical emphasis on the last word.

Phelan could see where this was going. There was no stopping this egotistical and light-headed maniac from doing what he set out to accomplish.

"Let's settle this right here and now, and that'll be the end of it! But I'm asking you, as an adversary, don't get Alvin and the others involved. They've done us no harm and they don't deserve to be hurt anymore," he pleaded.

"Don't worry, I won't. Once I slaughter you and hang your pelt up as a trophy, I'll take over your role as 'big brother' to these chipmunks. I'm sure I'll make a better guardian than you ever did."

"We don't want you for a brother!" shouted Theodore, feeling a lot braver now than ever. "Phelan's saved us many times, and he deserves to be our family!"

Soron's face edged with the glaring fluorescent lights, casting a shadow on one side of his face.

"Shut up! The time of the darkness must come to an end, and the only way it can do so is to give way to the forces of light!"

"_**Is that so? My, how confident you sound."**_

All five chipmunks turned to face where the new voice came from.

From out of the darkness, he came into the light. The living nightmare of a chipmunk as black as his heart; his eyes burning red with the thirst for blood, he appeared right in the middle of the warehouse.

Only Soron seemed unaffected by the dark chipmunk's sudden foreboding presence. "So you're Phelan's other half who's been making his life a living hell?"

"_**More or less."**_

Soron flicked his wrists. A beam of light shined down on both paws and materialized as an extension of twin light swords.

"We'll see how much is left of you once I put an end to your existence!" He let out a battle cry and charged towards the dark chipmunk, ready to spill some blood.

The other Phelan stepped into the shadows, but still remained visible for Soron to see. In that split second when the silver-clad chipmunk lunged forward with his swords aiming for his target's chest, Soron gasped as he went through the other Phelan's body, as though he was just simply an apparition of thin air.

The dark chipmunk saw the opportunity as he gained the upper hand and grabbed Soron by his neck. With a series of well-executed moves that could have put any martial artist to shame, the other Phelan swept Soron off his feet with a roundhouse kick and sent him flying into a pile of unused planks, where he lay there crashed and dazed.

Turning to face his better half, the other Phelan looked at him with a queer eye and slapped his own forehead.

"_**You could've least chosen your enemies wisely as you did with your friends."**_

To everyone's surprise, Phelan shrugged his shoulders. "Well, I did try to warn him."

It seemed as though the awkward moment of friendliness would put an end to everything, but that just disappeared into nothingness.

"I see you've got yourself your body back," said Phelan casually. "Must've given you hell just to find the strength to pull that off, huh?"

"_**Not at all. You see, my little chipmunk, I made the foolish choice of deciding to reveal my true self too early. And thanks to you, I paid the price for that. But I am wise, Phelan, as I'm sure you are."**_

The other Phelan paused to inspect his panther-like fur in the faint moonlight as he flexed his claws.

"_**We are both creatures of the night, you and I. We are stronger in these times where no other pathetic being ever will be. So now, I'll just have to kill you and take over your body. These are desperate times when we need to show the world what the darkness is capable of, and these call for desperate measures.**_

"_**I'll give you one more chance, Phelan. Are you with me, or are you against me?"**_

Phelan stood his ground as he struck a battle pose. "I'm afraid I can't let you do this."

The dark chipmunk simply nodded. _**"Then prepare to die!"**_

A soft groan came from behind Phelan. Soron got to his feet and was about to make an immediate change in his battle tactics, but Phelan raised a paw in mid-air to stop him.

"Soron, get my brothers to safety. Alvin, Simon, Theodore, I want you to leave and never come back here, not for anything. If I die tonight, it's been a pleasure knowing all of you."

His words fell on deaf ears as the silver-clad chipmunk strode up to him. "Phelan, you're not seriously going to-"

"_For once, Soron, SHUT YOUR BLOODY MOUTH AND DO AS I SAY!_"

Alvin, Simon and Theodore felt cold shivers tingling down their spines as they no longer recognized the chipmunk standing in front of them. Phelan had never cursed like that before. Even Soron had to admit it; this was creepier than watching a scene from The Exorcist come to life.

There was something wrong about Phelan, something that seemed corrupted; almost possessed within his soul...

The dark chipmunk beckoned to him with a gnarled, twisted finger.

"_**That's right. Come to me, and face your death like a rodent, so I may watch you squeal under my feet."**_

Black lightning crackled around his paws, leaving scorch marks on the ground as he opened his mind and embraced the darkness that flowed within him; so pleasantly tainted, and yet so deliciously evil.

The wolf-like chipmunk took a few steps forward until he stood face-to-face with his other half.

His voice, no longer squeaky and friendly with warmth, now burned under the cold sky with guttural hatred.

"_You and I have unfinished business_."

* * *

_To Be Continued..._

_Yay, so we've finally found Alvin once again! Wasn't that quick? But now it's down to the wire and the question remains - will Phelan ever regain the good side of himself again, or will he be condemned to living in the shadow of darkness forever?_

_And this chapter's song choice - Total Eclipse of the Heart. What a beautiful love ballad!_

_Tune in to the next chapter - it's the showdown between Phelan, Soron, and the other Phelan! The forces of light will clash with the dark! Don't miss it!_

**Author's Note: _Just a quick reminder, and for those of you who don't know about it, but Victory's Racounteur is hosting a voting contest for OCs in special categories (and Phelan's in the running, too). Choose wisely, because the winning OCs will get to appear on a talk-show story written by yours truly, where you, fellow readers, will get to send in your questions for them to answer!_**

**_P.S: (Cough cough) Don't forget to vote for Phelan! ;)_**

Cheers!

- Winddragon


	13. The Light, The Dark and The Other

_Once again, we meet on the reader's field. Before you can get started, however, there are a couple of things I'd like to say:_

_Firstly, my thanks go out specially to Pontiac56 and Periosha for being the best team I've ever worked with to create the battle that will determine the fate of the universe! Okay, so maybe that's a little over the top, but I couldn't have done it without you guys! :D_

_Second, because they did such a wonderful job, this chapter has become too LONG that I had to split it into half. Therefore, you're getting an early treat, because I'll still post up another chapter on 31st October (my time)._

_Also, I was glad to see the participation in Victory Racounteur's OC contest, and I hope to be even surprised with the rest of the results. The 'talk-show' story will go on, so winning OCs, be prepared to expect a PM from me. But not too soon, in case any of you win another title or more. ;)_

_Ok, that's all my rambling! Now, sit back and prepare for the showdown that will blow your mind!  
_

* * *

**Chapter 13: The Light, the Dark and the Other**

The fear came strong to Phelan, and he could almost sense the coppery scent of adrenaline running through his veins.

Before him stood the personification of his own darkness, the source of his misery, and perhaps more than that – death incarnate itself. The black lightning that crackled around the dark chipmunk's paws must have been a mere warning, for they had now disappeared and his hands were engulfed in a dark aura of burning hellfire.

But the dark chipmunk's voice was soft and crooning, like a cobra that waited before it struck the final blow.

"_**You don't know how long I've waited for this moment, Phelan. And now, I'm going to kill you with the forces of darkness that flows into your own body – which in the very immediate future – will become MY BODY."**_

The insanity flaring in the other Phelan's bloodshot eyes might have scared him a little, but that did not stop Phelan from baring his teeth as he felt a new surge of anger wash over his fear. Better to face his fears and die here right now, then to live forever in the fear of being tormented by your inner demons, the wolf-like chipmunk told himself.

He called on whatever willpower he had, and he too could feel the hellfire burning through his body and projecting out from within his soul.

"I've seen it in your eyes, shadowbastard. And when this is all over, you won't have a future," growled Phelan.

The flames could bend to his will, and now it materialized into a long sword which he gripped steadily in his paws. A fiery sword of darkness, if that's what you could call it.

"_**So, you want to get straight to the point? I believe two can play that game."**_

Another fiery sword appeared in the dark chipmunk's paws, burning immensely with his contempt for the living and everything that was good.

The two combatants stared each other down, sword at the ready – one slight move would be enough to start off the duel.

From his brothers' hiding spots, he could hear Simon's voice of reason call out to him.

"Phelan, get out of there! You're falling into his trap!"

"I'll be fine, Simon. Just get everyone out of here and go!" said Phelan, his stare still locked onto his other half.

"_**It is my destiny to bring hell onto earth. And yours is to die,"**_ sneered the dark chipmunk.

Phelan rolled his eyes. "You know what? It's gonna be a real pleasure to shut you up."

The seconds ticked to its climatic finals. On the instant, both Phelan and his dark half screamed their battle cries as they lunged towards each other, their blades clashing horrendously against the night's silence.

Because both swords were made entirely of hellfire with the slightest of mass, the blades only flared up immensely in anger as they came into contact with each other. Phelan could feel the heat of the flames almost singe his fur, but he dodged, parried and struck with the speed and agility of a fencer. The dark chipmunk was a different combatant, who preferred to deal heavier damage and clean cuts, but his passion showed in his swordsmanship – his guards and techniques were clearly that of a samurai's.

"Yay, you can do it, Phelan! Knock him dead!" cheered Theodore as his brothers and Soron watched from the further end.

The silver-clad chipmunk's advice was far less friendly. "The throat, stupid! The throat! Aim for his throat! Why aren't you aiming for his head? Slash his veins!"

With their blades locked into submission, the other Phelan saw a clink in Phelan's defence and elbowed him in the guts. Phelan felt the wind knocked out of him as his other half put in a kick that sent him skidding across the floor's slippery surface.

"_**I taught you better than that, you pathetic rat!"**_ the dark chipmunk taunted.

"Oh yeah?" Phelan sneered in reply. "Bet you didn't teach me THIS!"

Holding the blade like a javelin, Phelan threw it at ranged distance as it whistled sharply through the wind, aimed directly at the dark chipmunk. But in that split second when he released the sword, Phelan leaped into the air and kicked at the blade's hilt. The impact was effective as the now-screeching blade gained even more aerial momentum. The force, when it hit the other Phelan, brought him crashing against a pile of crates, rendering him completely dazed.

But he snapped out of it instantly, and seeing the pile of debris around him, the dark chipmunk growled as he took full advantage of his surroundings. He swung each piece at Phelan, using his sword to hit the projectiles like a baseball bat.

They came so fast that Phelan barely had the time to dodge them. Instead, his eyes quickly scanned the warehouse. There were shadows everywhere, cast from the windows right down to the crates scattered all over. Quick as his fate would depend on it; he summoned every shadow into his paws, and fired each orb with gunslinger precision. Each one came into contact as they hit their target, and soon, the debris were nothing more than smouldering ash.

"Hey, you gotta try better than that, dimwit!" jeered Phelan, hoping to steer his opponent off guard.

Enraged, the other Phelan flicked his sword, and it transformed into a fiery whip. Phelan blinked for a second, and the whip found itself lashed around the chipmunk's arm, tightening its grasp like a python curls around its prey. With a quick snap of his wrist, the dark chipmunk brought Phelan down on one knee.

Phelan gritted his teeth as he felt the whip's burning flames sear into his fur and skin. He channelled all that pain into fury as he pulled hard on his arm. The quick jerk yanked the whip clean out of the dark chipmunk's paws, and now Phelan was screaming blue murder as he lashed out endlessly at the foul creature that had caused him so much pain and misery.

Whatever traces of humanity left within him was slowly disappearing into the darkness that overwhelmed both body and mind. He wanted so badly to lay all the hurt and pain on this... this... this being that had no right to call itself a living thing.

However, the other Phelan seemed to relish in the moment of being hurt as the empty space of the warehouse rang a thousand times with his hideous laughs. He stepped back, panting and clutching at his chest.

_**"Well, it seems that I was right to choose you Phelan. You are more powerful then I had thought, and you aren't even using your full power yet," **_the shadowy chipmunk said as he reverted his posture back into a fighting stance.

_"Finally, I will defeat you and stop your evil thoughts from becoming reality!"_ Phelan barked as he readied himself for another attack, his darkening fur bristling. However he became confused when his dark counterpart started to laugh.

_**"Poor, sweet, innocent Phelan. When are you ever going to learn that you cannot defeat me? I am the most powerful element in existence. I cover everything with my darkness. Every soul sleeps under the shrouded cloak that is my entire essence. Being here in the dark night I am at my most powerful, even without my vessel. My power cannot be stopped by you or that light wielding fur bag,"**_ the other Phelan chuckled, folding his arms in a smug manner.

Soron growled at the dark figure, but he had learned his lesson from earlier and didn't charge forward to attack. However as the three of them stood there, thoughts began to pass through Phelan's mind:

_'As much as I hate him, he is right. As long as he manifests himself within the darkness of the night he is too powerful to defeat. Unless...I did it earlier when I bit Soron and I've been able to hurt the darkness with it throughout this fight... if I unleash this new tainting dark presence stirring within me... maybe I will have the strength to defeat him.'_

Phelan locked eyes with the glowing red slits of his counterpart.

_"You're wrong; I can defeat you, and once I have, this world can finally rest peacefully and free from your dark influence,"_ Phelan said. He was calm, but his eyes showed nothing but strength. The dark chipmunk watched him for a moment before a smirk cross his face.

_**"And just how are you going to do that?" **_he jeered, however he was silenced when Phelan closed his eyes and began his transformation.

Slowly Phelan raised his arms up in front of him and two dark orbs sparked to life in his hands. However they were not fired as projectiles. Instead the orbs began to morph and changed into a glowing aurora of dark light. The tainted light began to envelop Phelan from head to toe. Every inch of his wild fur was covered in the dark presence until he was a glowing figure within the darkened warehouse. Phelan started to growl as the power that was deep inside him was finally released. The air around him started to crackle and spark and his tattered trench coat started to flap from the force propelling from the furry warrior.

Soron and the other Phelan watched in awe as Phelan's fur began to darken until it was blacker then a panther's, his teeth began to sharpen and grow until his had the fangs of a ferocious wolf, and his eyes. As he opened them they changed. They were no longer the green of the forest that they had been. Instead his eyes were nothing but cold gray. No iris, no pupil, just a gray mass staring out, as though he was blind. Phelan gave a final roar and the glowing energy surrounding him burst into light and both of the other combatants had to shield their eyes. As the light cleared, Phelan stood strong and proud.

_**"So you have decided to embrace your tainted soul to defeat me. I can see your reasoning, but it was a foolish mistake. I cannot wait to see how this plays out,"**_ the other Phelan gloated, but behind his words was small gleam of... fear.

Phelan said nothing, he simply stood still, his wolf like fangs bared and his paws, now a pair of sharp claws, were raised as though he was ready to maul anything in his path. Alvin, Simon and Theodore watched from their hiding place, their mouths agape as they stared at the new Phelan. Soron simply stood still, his suspicious eyes taking in this new development in the battle. He had no idea what Phelan was up too, but it was no concern to him. As soon as this dark version of the mongrel was dead, he would be next. However he also noticed that the dark Phelan was distracted taking in Phelan's transformation, leaving him wide open for an attack. Quietly, Soron raised his arms and a sphere of burning white light began to grow between them.

"Say your prayers, you evil scum" he whispered to himself and prepared to fire, when suddenly, he felt a blow to his back and he was sent hurtling across the warehouse, gasping in pain. He sailed straight into a cluster of old crates that immediately broke upon impact. He let out a growl as he pulled himself from the wreckage, ready to strike the dark Phelan for his attack, when he found that the dark figure had not been the one, but instead, Phelan had.

The dark chipmunk looked at Phelan for a moment before settling his eyes on Soron. At first his smirked before a short chuckle escaped his lips.

_**"Oh, you mustn't know light warrior. Phelan has unleashed his full powers of darkness to try and defeat me, but in doing so he has lost almost all sense of reason. Right now, he is just a carnal beast with incredible power in this state, and he will attack anyone in his way. So, I think I might enjoy watching him kill you before I destroy him and claim a new vessel. It will be fun to watch the skills I gave to him finally be used to their full potential – whether he realises it or not."**_

The other Phelan laughed maliciously, before his dark form disappeared into the shadows, leaving Soron and the carnal Phelan alone. It was time to set the lions loose on the foolish gladiator, it seemed.

The feral chipmunk stared at his light rival for a moment before he let out a roar and charged forward, claws at the ready.

"Dammit, I did not travel all the way here just to deal with this," Soron muttered to himself as he drew two sword from his light powers and readied himself his rival, and his new dark powers.

"This fight just got a whole lot tougher."

And he was right.

* * *

Phelan dived towards Soron, claws at the ready, but the silver-clad chipmunk leapt nimbly into the air and evaded the attack. He somersaulted and landed gracefully. Before he had a chance to turn around, Phelan was already upon him. The feral chipmunk dived onto the light warrior and smashed him onto the ground.

Soron groaned as Phelan leapt upon him and began to pummel him. The overpowered chipmunk had no control at all and was unable to stop himself from attacking his light warrior rival. With Phelan on top of him, Soron could not lift his blades correctly, so he dematerialized them and smacked his now empty hands forcefully against Phelan's head. There was little to no damage done at all from the blow, but it threw Phelan off guard long enough for Soron to flip his legs up and send Phelan soaring over his head.

The instant that Phelan was off him, Soron rose to his feet and conjured two spheres of light from his paws.

"I had intended to do away with that arrogant dark version of you first, but I guess I'll have to finish you off instead!" he growled before releasing the energy balls. They flew across the room, heading straight for the disorientated Phelan. The tainted chipmunk let out a growl as he turned to engage the enemy chipmunk, when the spheres collided with him and an explosion of white light flashed.

Soron shielded his eyes for the light to die down. Slowly, the glaring light stopped and a patch of burnt ground and smoking rubble was left in its wake.

"Hmph, that should take care of him. Now, to deal with that dark version. Since it has taken a physical form, it is no longer bound to that dead mongrel, so now it will seek a new host. I need to find it before…"

Soron's self ramblings were interrupted by a sharp kick to the side. He was thrown off of his feet and tossed to the other side of the room. He let out a loud oof as he smacked into the metallic wall. He looked up to face his attacker and was shocked to see none other than Phelan standing there, smirking through his mouth full of jagged teeth. Before he could ask how the dark warrior was able to survive his attack, the snide voice of the other Phelan echoed out from the shadows.

_**"You seem confused light warrior. You're wondering how Phelan was able to survive such an attack. I would have thought it would be fairly simple for you. You are no match for his new abilities. He has embraced the full power of the darkness, while you are nothing more than a child wielding a torch. Your light abilities are nothing compared to the power of the darkness. Why don't you save us all some trouble and just kill yourself now? Oh, and please don't get any more blood on my vessel's coat,"**_ it chimed from the darkness. Soron could not tell where the shadowy figure was, but his glare was visible to every area of the room.

"You may have a power up, but you are nothing compared to that other mongrel!" Soron growled as he raised both his hands together and started to form a large glowing ball of white light. The light grew until it was almost as large as he was. Then with a roar, Soron shunted the ball forward, directly into the tainted Phelan. The explosion of light filled the entire room. Alvin, Simon and Theodore were almost blinded by it, and even the dark spectre had to shield its eyes from the intensity of it. As the light started to fade, Soron was revealed, both his hands on his legs, crouched over, panting. The attack had taken a lot out of him.

"That… should… do it" he gasped as the final traces of the light dispersed, leaving behind a huge crater of rubble and metal in its place. However his confidence was shaken when he began to hear the sneering laughter of the dark chipmunk, safe once again in the shadows.

_**"Impressive, but I think you should check your aim a little."**_

Soron suddenly realized what the shadow had just told him. He turned around, only to have his face meet with Phelan's fist.

The silver-clad chipmunk went tumbling through the air, hurtling towards the wall. However he watched as a blur of black whizzed past him, and instead of hitting the wall, his stomach slammed into Phelan's oncoming fist. All the breath was knocked out of him, and he felt amazed that the punch hadn't broken any of his ribs, or even damaged his internal organs.

However, he was so disorientated, he barely felt a thing as Phelan grabbed a hold of his neck and lifted him. Then before he could stop it, Phelan dropped him and his foot slammed into his chest as he was jump kicked in mid air. He sailed up into the air and slammed into the roof of the building, scaring a few bats that had taken refuge in the previously abandoned warehouse. Slowly he began to fall, however he never made contact with the ground, as the side of his head made contact with Phelan's fist. Soron felt like a toy being tossed around, as his weak form collided with another wall.

_**"Just give up Soron, this is embarrassing. The brave defender of the light, slumped against the wall, unable to stop the ultimate power that is the darkness. Don't you wish you had more power? Then you could stop Phelan, your rival, your enemy, from defeating you. Why don't you do the smart thing and turn away from the light. Become my new vessel and together, we will have power like you cannot imagine!"**_ came the whispering voice of the darkness. But Soron was far from convinced. Slowly, he rose from his slumped position on the floor and brought out a sword.

"I would rather face defeat from this mongrel a thousand times over then turn to the darkness! And once I've dealt with Phelan, you're next!" he growled and brought his sword, ready to fight. Phelan smirked at him, then drew a blade of his own.

"You may have more power than me, but let's see if you have any skill with a blade," Soron challenged before he swung his sword down.

The two blades collided and sent out a loud clatter amongst the silence of the darkness. Phelan just gave another smirk, then he counterattacked by spinning in place and used his propulsion to give greater impact on his sword. Soron blocked the strike and was almost thrown off his feet by the collision.

"Alright, you wanna go, let's go" Soron jeered, and the swordplay intensified.

* * *

Meanwhile Alvin, Simon and Theodore sat huddled in their hiding place unsure of what to do. They knew that to even attempt to move towards the two combatants would be a grave mistake, but without any powers or abilities, they were simply useless.

"What are we going to do? Soron is out there getting himself killed against our brother. There has to be a way to make some connection with him. Get him to calm down enough that he can regain control of himself" Simon said as he peeked over some boxes to see Soron step back after another heavy strike from Phelan.

"But how, Simon? I barely understand what's going on, let alone how to stop Phelan when he's turned into a crazy monster," Theodore snivelled, doing his best to hold back tears as he watched his brother swipe his sword across Soron's left arm. The light warrior gave a growl, however he quickly licked the wound and within moments a glowing orange aura spread over the wound and it disappeared.

"I don't know, Theodore, but we have to find a way to do something. After all, he is our brother and we can't see him like this," Simon said as he gave his brother a hug. Still, he kept one eye fixed on the fight, as a precaution in case the heated battle drew too close to them.

Throughout the conversation, Alvin remained silent, his eyes glued to Soron and Phelan. Simon was right; a connection had to be made in order to get through to his brother. And out of some strange miracle of fate, Alvin had an idea how to do so… one that made sense.

* * *

Back in the eye of the fight, Soron attempted to block another swing from Phelan, however the wild black chipmunk swung his sword with so much force that Soron's blade snapped in half and the light warrior was knocked to his feet. Phelan grinned, his fangs glistening, as he moved towards Soron, his sword aimed for his heart. One swing was all it would take, and the blade would slide through the rival chipmunk's flesh like a hot knife to butter. However just as he raised his weapon, something happened.

Alvin yelled at the top of his lungs. "Phelan, you're my brother! I love you, and I forgive you!"

His voice rang out loudly around the empty warehouse. Simon and Theodore just stood silent, their eyes moving back and forth between their red-clad brother and their monstrous new brother. Phelan didn't move. His sword kept suspended in the air, ready to fall and cut into Soron's chest. But something was stopping it. Phelan - the true part of him that wasn't corrupted by the darkness - had heard what Alvin had said. Slowly the sword dropped down by the chipmunk's side. The black, bristling chipmunk turned, and his lifeless gray eyes locked with Alvin's piercing blues. The connection was made.

However what happened next had nothing to with words. But it certainly had a connection – Soron's fist connecting with Phelan's head. The black chipmunk fell to the ground, unconscious – Soron standing over him panting.

"Thanks, Alvin. That was exactly what I needed," Soron called out as he looked over his fallen rival.

"That's not exactly what I had intended to happen, but it worked… I guess," Alvin said as he got over his initial shock. However before either party could say another word, the sight of Phelan caught their attention.

His black fur began to fade, his claws began to contract and his fangs began to revert back to normal teeth. Within seconds, he looked exactly as he should have. As the brown furred, wolf-like chipmunk that the Seville household had learned to love.

"Well, at least we won't have to deal with that anymore," Soron said as he straightened up and dusted his coat, his energy regained.

_**"It seems so, but this battle is not over yet, furbag,"**_ the mincing, icy voice echoed, and the other Phelan materialized a few feet from them, his glowing red eyes filled with hatred and malice.

"Oh, this fight is far from over, you dark fiend," Soron growled, forming a sword, however he stopped as he saw Phelan stir. Moments later, he was conscious once more, and fully aware of his surroundings.

"Woah, woah there!" exclaimed Phelan as Soron advanced on him with his fists raised in radiant light. "It's me, okay? I'm not tainted anymore!"

"You can say anything you want," growled Soron. "Prove it!"

Phelan slapped his forehead. "Oh geez! You're still a cocky, smart-aleck hog who loves to show off and you can't even aim for a straight target!" he yelled.

Soron shrugged his shoulders. "Okay, I'm convinced."

But the clouds were gathering, and now a storm was about to burst free...

* * *

_To Be Continued..._

_Round two - BEGIN! It's a deathmatch to the finish as Soron and Phelan take on the other Phelan in the next chapter!_

_See you there!_

_- Winddragon_


	14. How To Save A Life

_As promised, here is the next chapter. And yes, I got to post it on 31st (my time)! Hope you enjoy, and please don't forget to review and comment!  
_

**Chapter 14: How to Save a Life**

Soron annoyingly pulled the now wide awake Phelan from his unconsciousness. The feral wolf-like chipmunk's once uncontrollable fury had now vacuumed down after Soron had struck him with an orb of light.

"You back to your old, traitorous self, mongrel?" Soron asked, not looking at him. His silver hoodie began to shimmer as he inhaled the essence coming from the fluorescent lights above him.

Dazed, Phelan got to his feet as he prepared himself for the coming battle. He could feel the throbbing of his slightly heavy forehead.

"Yeah, I'll live… though you didn't have to hit me that hard…" he complained, rubbing his temple where Soron had struck him.

"You deserved it; after we kick this loser's ass, you're next…" Soron warned, his voice now echoing with the brilliance of his silvery aura.

"Show-off…" Phelan spat as his let his violet-black aura flare.

"Whatever…" Soron replied in a deadpan tone.

They then flicked their wrists and on their paws appeared their elemental weapons; Phelan with his twin black swords, and Soron's was a divine white bow. Soron's silver hoodie then brightened with the light as it began to change. All five of them were blinded temporarily as Soron's hoodie transformed into an armoured robe. With the elegant silver lining shimmering from the light above, his robe had a striking resemblance to Phelan's trench coat – only its shoulders were plated with light-blessed padding.

Together, they stood side by side, ready to face the other Phelan that stood in front of them. His black tail swished in fury as he began to snarl and growl.

"So, are you ready to offer yourself up for chipmunk cannibalism?" Soron asked with a sly smile.

Phelan shrugged as they both posed in battle stances.

"Not necessarily, but I'm game."

The black-tainted shadow of a chipmunk grinned evilly as he extended his claws.

"_**So, you managed to overcome the darkness that was within you. How touching," **_he drawled. _**"But your combined efforts will not be enough to best the power that resides within me!"**_

Soron shot Phelan a dirty look. "You know, for a guy who's your complete opposite half, he craps a lot. You have some serious personality complexes," said the silver-clad chipmunk.

A low growl rumbled in Phelan's throat, but he kept his cool.

"Yeah, talk about being your own worst enemy, huh?" he said.

_**"Bring it… show me what weaklings you both really are…"**_

The two warrior chipmunks winked at each other, quoting at the same time.

"It's on like Donkey Kong!"

Both Phelan and Soron immediately charged as they let out a loud battle cry. The other Phelan simply faded into utter nothingness as Phelan's dark blade failed to strike him. The dark chipmunk then reappeared from Phelan's shadow and slammed his paw into Phelan's face, sending him flying through the air.

"Soron! Go high!" yelled Phelan.

Immediately, Soron took notice and strung his bow. He fired three bolts of light toward the dark chipmunk, which was easily deflected by a wave of hellfire with a quick motion of the other Phelan's arm.

Cursing under his breath, Soron quickly dodged the bolts of black lightning that were sent toward him. He gathered the source coming from the dull fluorescent lights, charging their energies into his bow and causing the mouth to glow brighter with every passing second. The dark chipmunk, not taking any chances, seized the opportunity to use the shadows around him to send more crates at his two immobile combatants. Phelan quickly crossed his arms across his chest as he deflected the incoming crates with a pillar of hellfire. He then motioned his arms around his body, and then pushed the pillar of black flame toward his evil counterpart.

_**"Ha! You make this too easy…"**_ mocked the other Phelan as he simply placed his paw in front of the hellfire, splitting it in half; totally oblivious to Soron appearing right in front of him, his bright bow now fully charged.

Before the dark chipmunk could retaliate, Soron released the string on his bow. A humungous beam of energy struck him heavily on the chest, sending him flying back and ramming into a large pile of crates. The blast was so powerful that it crushed the boxes and brought the other Phelan to slam against the warehouse wall.

"Take that, you bastard!" cheered Soron, lowering his bow as he began to reload the solar energy on his bow. Even Phelan couldn't help but smile as he looked at his rival's confident expression.

But Soron's cheers turned quickly into a gasp as he was struck by bolts of black lightning. The shock was so powerful; you could temporarily see the silver-clad chipmunk's skeleton glowing like a light bulb. He was shot back and slammed into the nearby crates, his body twitching as he reeled from the electric treatment he had just received.

Enraged, the dark chipmunk lifted his paw and summoned an enormous orb of darkness. _**"Now, let's see how you fare without the use of light, sun-bearer…" **_

He hurled the orb to the roof, and it shattered all the fluorescent lights, encasing the entire warehouse in total darkness. The glass from the lights began to rain over the chipmunks as they began panicking.

"What are you waiting for? Run for cover!" Phelan shouted, moving his brothers out of the way.

Instinctively, the wolf-like chipmunk pushed them together and erected a midnight black shield over them. The other Phelan easily waltzed past the falling shards as they simply went through him. But poor, unconscious Soron was unable to defend himself. Shards of glass scraped and sliced through his crispy brown fur. When he roused from unconsciousness, the pains from the shock and the new stings made him wince and cry out in agony, catching his enemy's attention. The dark Phelan grabbed Soron with a tendril, and lifted the helpless chipmunk toward him with ease. Soron struggled with all his might, but he felt his strength ebbing away in the presence of the darkness.

Using his free hand, he erected a black blade that shined with the eerie moon penetrating through the window.

_**"It seems that the Light has abandoned you now, whelp. Time to die and join your family."**_

Time slowed as Soron closed his eyes, awaiting his death as the other Phelan swung his sword at Soron's neck.

"Damn it, to be destroyed by the being I wanted to destroy… how pathetic."

He never got to feel the blade come crashing down on him as a silent implosion erupted between them.

Phelan grabbed Soron and carried him to a safe distance. He then temporarily immobilized his other self with an entanglement of dark tendrils as he dashed away.

"Hang in there, Soron…" Phelan half-yelled, trying to keep Soron conscious, "you're gonna be alright…"

He believed they were safe until he could hear the icy voice of the dark chipmunk that cried out in a horrifying roar, shattering the nearby crates and glass panes and the tendrils that failed to occupy him. Every word he spat echoed with pure venom and hatred.

_**"When I get my hands on you, rat… I am going to cut your traitorous head OFF!"  
**_

* * *

Meanwhile, Phelan carried Soron to where his brothers hid, and gently laid Soron among them.

"F-forget about me, you idiot!" Soron winced in pain, "you've just led him toward us! Have you lost your mind? Or is your traitorous attitude always in charge of that accursed body of yours?"

"For once, Soron, shut the hell up and let me heal you!" Phelan then began to create an orb of darkness and was about to touch Soron's fur, when Soron's paw stopped him. Soron's paw was trembling, as though the torment of it all was draining his life even faster.

"No…" he denied, "save your power for him…" He was starting to breathe erratically. "You'd better stop him before he reaches us. If he finds us here, we're ALL goners…"

"Not until I get you patched up I'm not-"Phelan was about to reply when Soron mustered the remains of his strength to slap Phelan on the face.

"Will you just forget about me and fight for your brothers?" Soron shouted, his hazel-brown eyes glowing bright silver. He began coughing heavily as he spat out blood and collapsed to the floor.

"He was right; the Light has abandoned me…" Soron grimaced, his body growing numb. "Go on and face him. Defeat him for your brothers, Phelan, and don't you DARE die… your head belongs to me, you sick-faced, traitorous mongrel." At the very least, he could manage a sly smile.

"You make sure you stay alive, too, you insensitive show-off hog…" Phelan grinned back. Alvin and his brothers then began to wipe the wounds around Soron's desecrated body.

"We'll take care of him, Phelan…" Simon spoke, tearing off bits of his hoodie to make a bandage.

"Yeah, you go on out there and take care of that evil Phelan…" Theodore cheered, giving his brother a confident smile.

"And you'd better come back alive…" Alvin glared at him, his face a slight grin, "we have some unfinished business to attend to…"

For once in his life, Phelan felt complete. Now, he had a rival who was at least on speaking terms with him, and all three of his brothers were reunited. In a smile, he rose proudly and set his aura flaring. The darkness that encased him amplified with the holiness of the night that surrounded him.

"Don't worry guys… I won't let you down this time…" He spoke back, his voice ringing with the one thing all five chipmunks shared toward one of another.

Love.

With a grin, he sped off into the night, and with a new-found determination, ready to face his evil counterpart.

* * *

In the warehouse, the darkness held hard and strong.

The other Phelan staggered to his feet as he surveyed the damage done all around him. A huge bolt of nerves suddenly shot up his spine and through his body. He drew in long, harsh breaths; the wounds inflicted on his panther-like fur had made him realize how truly agonizing the feeling of pain could be.

To add insult to injury, he couldn't remember a time when he'd been beaten at his own game before – especially by his own protégé. And oh, the humiliation of it all as he could not even manage the simplest of tasks by wiping out some stupid chipmunk who proclaimed himself as a warrior of light, or even that vessel of his who decided to turn rogue and vanquish him for the better good!

And speaking of the devil...

Phelan came charging into the dark chipmunk's side, ramming him against the wall. With bloodshot eyes, the other Phelan glared at his vessel, spitting with rage. The look on the wolf-like chipmunk's face was completely possessed with demonic fury.

"I'm gonna kill you for all the people you've hurt, you son of a bitch!" he screamed.

Before the other Phelan could counter, he felt his guts collide with Phelan's fist, and all the breath was knocked out of his lungs.

"That's for my brothers!"

Phelan raised his legs and sank his knees hard into the dark chipmunk's chest. The impact brought the other Phelan down to his knees.

"That's for the chipettes!"

Another punch smashed into the dark chipmunk's jaw.

"This is for Soron!"

And while the other Phelan was doubled over in pain, Phelan took a few steps back, his breathing intensified as he charged once more at his opponent.

"And THIS IS FOR ME!"

He kicked the dark chipmunk with such intensity that both of them went straight through the shabby warehouse walls and out into the open air bathed in the moonlight. The other Phelan spun helplessly as he collided face down into the dirt. When he picked himself up, his eyes blazed with fury as he spat a mouthful of blood in Phelan's direction.

"_**You think this is over by a mile? Fool! We haven't even reached the endgame yet!"**_ He dusted his shredded panther-like fur as he spoke.

"_**I am more than immortal, you stupid rat! Your ignorant goals mean nothing to me, because the truth is, you are ignorant – oblivious to the truth that surrounds you!"**_

"No, I'm not!" growled Phelan. "The only ignorant fool here – is you. Can't you see how much pain and suffering you have caused to us and the world?"

The other Phelan nodded as though in agreement. _**"Okay then. Kill me. Do what you see fit. Then watch as the whole universe crumbles apart from its very foundation."**_

"I don't understand what you're talking about," said Phelan, slightly bemused. He failed to notice that he'd let his guard down as his fists lowered slightly to his sides.

The dark chipmunk chuckled as he spread his arms out wide, as though hoping to embrace the darkness.

"_**Then hear me out. The darkness is not always as evil and black-hearted as it seems. I am so sick of the world and its people – especially you – giving labels and ideas that evil must be destroyed and good must prevail. **_

"_**You see, the darkness was created to balance the tip of the scales. I should know – because I was there during its creation. Light and dark are one and the same, like opposite ends of a coin. You destroy the darkness, and sooner or later, the light will become lost in meaning – because nobody will ever know the absence of light ever again.**_

"_**Of course, if you destroy the light, then darkness will engulf the world for the rest of eternity, but I'm not bothered by that. What disgusts me is that you fail to see the both sides of life. There may be both good and evil, but there is also power – and it is those who are too weak to seek it that makes your definitions. Has it never occurred to you that there may be some good in me?"**_

"You're lying!" shouted Phelan, but deep down inside, his other half's words went through like a sword to the chest. Despite facing what seemed to be the father of liars, there was a part of the wolf-like chipmunk's soul that wanted to deny what it said was the truth.

"_**Any other time and I would lie to you, but this time, you're wrong. You kill me – and you forfeit your own soul too, because WE ARE THE SAME BEING – you and I connected!"**_

Shock was written all over Phelan's face, but his emotions were now hitting him straight to his heart. A single tear coursed down Phelan's cheek. _My cause, gone to a waste? All this protecting and fighting – for nothing?_

"_**Don't think about it for now," **_reassured the dark chipmunk. _**"Dwell on what precious little life you have left with your pathetic family and loved ones, because it won't last for long."**_ He walked past a dishevelled and crestfallen Phelan, without even lifting up a shadow paw to strike him.

"_**I will meet up with you again, when the moon is full on All Hallow's Eve. I won't stop you with whatever plans you have against me, but just remember this – YOU CAN NEVER WIN. Because you are only by yourself, and I, am many!" **_

He threw back his head and shrieked in glee as though all of the evil had been set loose upon the world.

And just like that, the dark chipmunk enveloped himself into the shadows, and he was gone.

Phelan sank to his knees. Cries of silent anguish burst from within the sobs that racked his body. To him, it didn't matter what his next step would be, he was already in checkmate even before the game had started! The dark Phelan had already won, and his darkness would plunge the world into further chaos. What injustice was this?

"Don't turn your back on me! Come on out and fight like a warrior!" yelled Phelan.

Only the wind seemed to carry his dark half's hideous laughter into the distance. I can't believe I let him get away again!

Frustrated, Phelan lifted his head and screamed to the heavens. "Face me, you COWARD!"

He pummelled his fists into the ground, not caring if the pain came from his failure, or his throbbing paws.

* * *

Phelan left the warehouse, slumped and feeling more dejected than he'd ever been in his miserable existence. How could the events of a night such as this turn from bad to worse?

The answer, he found out, was about to cost him his life.

As he approached his brothers, the look on their faces brought Phelan to complete unease. Even before he reached them, the wolf-like chipmunk knew immediately that something was wrong. Simon, who was usually the calm and collected one, was now shaking like a leaf.

"Phelan, I've just checked on Soron's signs, and-"

"HE'S NOT BREATHING!" Theodore's panicked yell cut in.

"What?"

Phelan rushed over to his brothers, where they were now crowding around the silver-clad chipmunk that lay uncomfortably, but deathly still. The colour on Soron's fur had turned a little paler than usual; almost close to the icy colours of death itself.

"No, no, no, NO! Soron! Soron, WAKE UP!" yelled Phelan as he began to frantically shake the lifeless silver-clad chipmunk. "You can't go that easily; if anyone's supposed to kick your ass, it's me! Get up, you idiot!"

But Soron just laid there, his face as serene as a statue's. And panic was written all over Phelan's.

He rounded on his brothers, staring at them with a look of terror in his eyes.

"What are you standing there for? Help me! Can't you do anything?"

Alvin, Simon and Theodore just stood there, frozen to the spot. It seemed in that darkest of hours, nobody knew what to do. And time was running out.

Phelan took a deep breath. And brought his mouth crashing down onto Soron's.

A mixed look of disgust and amazement crept across his brothers' faces as Phelan continued to administer mouth resuscitation techniques onto Soron. Even Soron's body must've been silently protesting against his rival trying to give him kiss of life, because the response was still nothing but vehement stillness.

"Don't die on me, Soron, PLEASE!" The wolf-like chipmunk's voice was on the verge of breaking down. He shook Soron's body furiously, and when that didn't work, he balled his fists and starting pounding on the chipmunk's still chest.

"I – OWE – YOU – ONE!" He accentuated each word with every thump. "I'm not going to let you go that easily! You just saved my life!"

"Phelan, we can't do anything – he's... he's gone..."

Phelan tried to pull himself out of Simon's grasp, but the blue-clad chipmunk had to drag him away from getting closer to Soron's body.

"You have to let me go back, please!" howled Phelan. "I have to save him; it's my fault he's in this mess! I should've kept him out of the fight! Please, let me save him!"

And then, he stopped struggling. Tears started pouring from Phelan's eyes as he cried silently onto Simon's shoulder. Simon still held onto his grieving brother as a precaution, but all four of them were silent, not looking at each other, as they mourned for the warrior of the light who had gave his everything to save them all and to reunite them as brothers once again.

The uncontrollable sorrow in Phelan made him clench his fists, and while he didn't notice it, his brothers saw that his violet-black aura had channelled from all over his body right down to surrounding his paws. It seemed as though the very action itself was draining Phelan of his very soul.

Phelan screamed with all his strength as he raised his aura-covered paws in one final attempt...

And slammed them down hard onto Soron's chest.

The effect was electric.

The screams erupted from Soron like a banshee setting all hell loose as he shot straight up, clutching his chest tightly. If the noise wasn't enough to wake the dead, it certainly scared the living daylights out of everyone.

Alvin and his brothers watched with bated breath as Soron stopped twitching, breathing in deeply as he felt his strength returning. There was a moment of uncomfortable silence.

Simon was the first to speak. "I can't believe it! You brought him back to life!"

Alvin's mouth was agape with shock. "Holy nuts!" In his eyes, this probably beat sitting through a monster movie marathon.

"Is he going to be okay?" asked Theodore, looking nervous.

Phelan looked at Soron with concern. "If you're alright, please say something."

The half-dazed silver-clad chipmunk could only manage one word, but that was enough. "Something."

The other chipmunks looked at each other, and then burst out into a series of weak laughter. Phelan felt the world spinning around him, so he rolled to the ground on his back, taking a moment to calm himself down and breathe a little easier.

When Phelan had rested and picked himself up, the first chipmunk he saw was Alvin, and he knew what to say next.

"Hey, Alvin?"

"What?"

"You know, back there, in the warehouse? Did you mean what you said?"

The smile on Alvin's face faded a little, but you could still see a little warmth in his expressions as he tried to deny his true feelings.

"Hey, that was just a ruse. I had to snap you out of your rabid state, okay? It's not that easy for me to forgive you, you know."

Phelan's heart sank a little.

"Look, I was a jerk wad, alright? I admit it, I still am. But Dave and your brothers missed you. Heck, even I missed you too," he confessed. "And as your brother, I really love you. Can you find it in your heart to forgive me?"

Alvin folded his arms and turned away, but Phelan knew that he was just simply putting up a brave front; it was just a playful gesture.

"What if I don't want to?" jeered Alvin.

Phelan grinned. "Alvin, please don't make me kiss you. Because I swear I will."

The red-clad chipmunk's smirk immediately vanished into utter horror. "You wouldn't dare."

And before he could protest even further, Phelan leaned in and planted a wet, but warm and brotherly kiss on Alvin's cheek.

"Eww!" Alvin wiped his face with his sleeve. "Don't ever do that again!"

"Then I guess it's safe to say that our fighting has come to an end." Phelan motioned to his brothers. "Come on, you guys! Group hug!"

Phelan scooped Alvin into his arms and they embraced, before they were quickly joined by Simon and Theodore. Feeling the warmth of his brothers and their reassuring comfort lifted Phelan's spirits with so much joy and resurgence – he felt as though his life was complete once more.

At least, there was something worth fighting for – a family, and all the love in the world.

The wolf-like chipmunk heaved a huge sigh of relief. "Now let's get out of here quick, before my other half comes back to wreak more chaos!"

Simon didn't budge a step; being the sensible one, he was still thinking the situation over.

"That's fine by me, but what are we going to do about him?" He pointed to Soron, who had just relapsed into another fainting spell. "It wouldn't be right to just leave him here, but the nearest hospital is miles away. We'll never make it in time."

Phelan walked over and felt for Soron's pulse. It was still there, maybe a little bit fainter, but still beating strong. He hoisted the unconscious warrior over his shoulders. For a chipmunk whose attitude and insults were as glaring as his fighting style, there was certainly an even distribution of weight all around.

"Help me carry Soron back home, guys. I don't think he'll be able to manage alone..."

* * *

_To Be Continued..._

_I notice that a lot of us put in our reviews "Please update soon," but that's the same as what I think we should really ask, which is "What happens next?". That's what every writer wants to hear. Because it means you've done your job well, and it means that your readers care about what's going to happen next. (By the way, I didn't coin that phrase. It's from Neil Gaiman.)_

_Anyway, it seems that Phelan's battle with the darkness has to be put on hold once more. Will he finally vanquish the evils of the world? Or will it finally cost him his soul? You'll have to wait to find out!_

_Next time on Darkness - It's a lot of patching up to do, mending some bonds, and romance in the air for a certain couple! ;)_

_- Winddragon_


	15. The Things We Do For Love

**Chapter 15: The Things We Do For Love**

Dave had been awake all night, and it wasn't due to all that coffee he drowned his sorrows with. The clock on the wall said two-thirty in the morning, but what difference would the hours make if his eldest son, his precious Alvin, wasn't around to turn the whole place upside down?

Things just weren't the same without him.

The loud rapping on the door brought him out of his befuddled anxieties, and fearing the worst, he took a deep breath before opening it.

What he didn't expect to see was a sight that brought immediate relief, as well as surprise to his heart and senses.

"Alvin?"

"DAVE!" The red-clad chipmunk was in tears even before he ran straight into Dave's beckoning embrace. Dave might have thought he was dreaming, but letting his son's tears seep into his shirt was the most comforting way to assure him that all of this was real.

"I'm sorry, Dave! I'll never run away from home ever again!" cried Alvin.

Dave pulled away from the hug to remove his son's cap and to look deeply into his big, blue eyes.

"Alvin, I'm the one who should be sorry. It was wrong of me to not hear your side of the story and then hurt you. Can you forgive me for that?"

"Of course, Dave, I love you." Father and son then pulled each other into a grizzly bear hug, as though they would never let go of this moment.

"You really got me scared there. Don't ever pull off another crazy stunt like that, okay?"

"So, does this mean that I'm grounded?" Alvin grinned sheepishly.

"We'll talk about that later. Right now, I – who's that?" asked Dave, who had just noticed the dazed and still bundle of crisp-brown fur that Phelan, Simon and Theodore were struggling to get through the door.

"This is Soron. He's a friend of mine," Phelan quickly explained. "He's the one who found Alvin, but some crazy guy in a car knocked him down and drove off. I had to get him here, Dave, it's safer, and I promise I'll watch over him. Please, can we keep him here for the night?"

That rush of adrenaline might have made it easier to lie right through his teeth, but it didn't matter whether anyone noticed the deception as Dave simply nodded his approval.

"He can stay as long as he needs to," smiled Dave. "Don't worry, Phelan; any friend of my sons is also a friend of mine."

A thought had just occurred to Phelan as he placed a foot on the stairway. "Alvin," he looked at his brother, "why don't you stay with Dave for a while? I can manage with Simon and Theodore from here."

"Gee, don't you think you could use an extra hand with Soron?" asked Alvin.

"I think you have some father-and-son bonding time to do," said Phelan, and from the looks of it, there was no use further denying even a few seconds of togetherness.

Like a guardian angel, he watched with a warm smile as Dave and Alvin headed into the kitchen, before rushing over to help Simon and Theodore carry the still unconscious Soron upstairs.

* * *

Winking the sleep from his eyes, Alvin realized that he was the last to wake up, but he wasn't alone.

Soron lay fast asleep on Phelan's mattress, a damp towel placed on his forehead and a few drops of sweat trickled down his cheeks. Phelan sat beside him, facing the window, cross-legged and deep in thought, as though the wolf-like chipmunk was simply meditating.

"So, how's the patient?"

"He's been out like a light all morning, but I've checked his signs every hour, and he's definitely improving. I'd say our dear Soron should be up and about by the end of the day."

Phelan yawned as he stretched his back; a few bones cracked back into place. Alvin winced at the sound of that, and the guilt in him made him wish he should've pulled in a little weight of his own.

"Did you really stay up all night just to watch over him?"

"Yeah, but I couldn't really fall asleep. Anyway, I think you weren't having much of a shut eye last night, were you?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I heard you murmuring in your sleep. You called out a certain name."

The words caught Alvin in his tracks as he remained silent, unsure of what to say next.

"You're still thinking about her, aren't you?"

Phelan thought that it hadn't hit Alvin where it hurt the most, at least not yet. Then he saw the corner of Alvin's mouth starting to tremble, and before he knew it, Phelan went over to his brother and put an arm around his shoulder, and Alvin broke down in the comfort of his mahogany-brown fur.

"I really blew it with her, didn't I?" said Alvin in between sobs.

It seemed that in his times of grief and sorrow, all Phelan could do now was to give his brother a hug and some words of comfort.

"It's not your fault, Alvin. You had every right to blame me when I took Brittany away from you. If anyone should be crying their heart out right now, it's me." Phelan scratched Alvin's ear, which always seemed to be a good remedy for the blues.

"I'm scared, Phelan. I'm scared I'll lose her forever, and that she'll never talk to me again."

"Don't be." The wolf-like chipmunk's smile was as welcoming as the first rays of sun. "But I know what you can do, Alvin. You may not be able to undo the past, but you can change the future for the better. And I know just how to set things right."

His forest green eyes locked onto Alvin's pools of blue misery, burning brightly with confidence.

Alvin brushed away a tear. "You can do that?"

"Trust me. By tonight, you'll have Brittany in your arms again, safe and sound."

If Alvin could find his own way to say thank you, he winked at Phelan and nudged him gently in the ribs.

"Look, why don't you get some sleep, alright? I'll watch over Soron right now."

"But Alvin-"

"You must be really tired by now, I know it. At this rate, you're starting to look more like a panda than a wolf."

Phelan yawned. Perhaps the red-clad chipmunk was right; another sleepless hour and he'd probably start losing his sanity. "Thank you, Alvin."

But instead of heading for the comfort of a bed, Phelan headed half-asleep into the bathroom.

"Where are you going?"

Phelan turned to face Alvin, but not before he caught his brother with a wink and a grin.

"To brush my teeth. I can't go to sleep with the taste of Soron in my mouth!"

* * *

It was late in the evening when Jeanette and Eleanor peered around nervously through their sister's door.

"Brittany, you've got a visitor," said Jeanette as softly as she could, just in case Brittany was sleeping. She wasn't.

"Go away!" snapped Brittany, her voice muffled from under the pillows. "Can't you see that I don't want to talk to anyone?"

"I'm sorry, Brittany, but he's really insisting that he wants to see you," said Eleanor.

And before the pink-clad chipette could protest another word, Phelan came into the light, but he stayed right where he stood at the door's edge.

"Hi there, Brittany. I know this is a bad time, but can I have a few words with you?"

The sight of the wolf-like chipmunk suddenly brought back all those memories she shared with him – both happy and unpleasant, but seriously, how could she possibly turn down a guy who had gone out of his way to be nice to her?

Brittany sighed. "Oh, alright. What do you want?"

"I... uh, just wanted to check on things, and... see that you're okay. How are you feeling?" _Not exactly the best way to start off a welcome speech, huh?_

"I'm great. I'm really feeling great, what else were you expecting?" Brittany was trying to keep her voice even, but Phelan could detect a wall of sarcasm and anger concealed behind every word.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have snapped at you like that," she said, sounding a little choked up. "Did you have something else to say?"

Phelan cleared his throat.

"I just thought, since it's a wonderful day to enjoy the sunset, why don't you join me for a walk in the park?"

"Excuse me?" Brittany looked as though one of her dresses had gone into the. Phelan could have mentally slapped himself. _What am I saying?_

_Besides, a distance such as this isn't going to convince her otherwise,_ he thought, so he went over to Brittany's bed and sat by her side, ready to offer her the best of advice.

The temptations came strong again, lingering in her sweet-smelling fur. Phelan may not have been showing it, but he was fighting every urge and instinct to bury himself into her embrace and kiss her from head to toe. _I'm not that lustful predator anymore, _he told himself over and over in his head. _I've changed for the better._

"Sorry Phelan, but I'm not really in the mood to go out right now."

"Come on, it'll on be a few minutes. I promise you, it'll be the best time of your life," said Phelan.

The chipette folded her arms, scowling. "Are you planning some surprise on me? Because I don't really like surprises."

"Well, you'll just have to find out," he said gently in a sing-song voice.

Brittany sighed, and then she got up and followed Phelan out the door. "Okay, but if I don't like it, I'm coming after you with my slippers. And I'm going home straight away."

A silent grin swept across his face like that of a Cheshire cat. Step one of his cautiously executed plan had gone off smoothly like a charm.

_I apprehended the queen single-handedly. Now, to reunite her with her king.  
_

* * *

"Phelan, are you sure about this? I feel stupid!"

"Trust me, Brittany, you're doing great. Now remember, don't open your eyes yet until I say so."

After successfully coaxing Brittany to leave the Miller household, Phelan took the pink-clad chipette by the hands and told her to close her eyes while he carefully guided her forward with every step. Little did she know of the surprise that was about to unfold before her.

"Okay, you can open them now."

Brittany did as she was told. And gasped at the mesmerizing sight that beheld her very eyes.

They were standing in the middle of the Sevilles' backyard, but the gardens had been rigged up with a bunch of Christmas lights and ornaments. At the right moment when the last of the sunbeams had gone down, the place lit up with its many colours and a few fireflies were set free, their lights dancing in the air. It all seemed like some mystical night time paradise in a fairytale come to life.

But what really had her speechless was the chipmunk who stood in front of her, his face as radiant and bright as his favourite shirt.

"Alvin... is that you?"

He scratched the back of his head as he spoke. "Hey babe, I really missed ya."

And then she ran into his arms and broke down, not caring whether this was an illusion playing in her grief-stricken mind.

"Oh... thank goodness, I was so worried, so worried about you. I thought... I would never see you again."

Alvin soothed her in his hands, and as Brittany sobbed into his shoulders, he whispered in her ear that everything was going to be okay.

"Ssh, Brittany. I'm here. I'm really here, and I'll love you forever more."

"Alvin, I'm really, really sorry. You're the only one for me... I shouldn't have accused you of leaving me alone... and... I missed you..." Her words were starting to pour out in a mixture of tangled sorrow.

Looking at the red bruise on Brittany's cheek where Alvin had slapped her a few days ago made him uncomfortable with guilt. With every ounce of his tenderness, he leaned in and gently kissed that spot as he wiped away the chipette's tears.

"No, Brittany, I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions and hurting you badly. But you'll always be my girl, and there's nothing I won't do to make you happy again. Because I honestly care about you."

As he pulled Brittany closer to her, he quietly gave Phelan the thumbs-up sign. Phelan walked over to where he had put a mini boom box on the ground and pressed play. Alvin took Brittany by the arm and began to sway her gently to the music as he locked gazes with her, and he sang his heart and soul to the girl he cared so deeply about.

_Look into my eyes, you will see_  
_What you mean to me_  
_Search your heart, search your soul_  
_And when you find me there, you'll search no more_

_Don't tell me it's not worth trying for_  
_You can't tell me it's not worth dying for_  
_You know it's true_  
_Everything I do, I do it for you_

_Look into your heart, you will find_  
_There's nothing there to hide_  
_Take me as I am, take my life_  
_I would give it all, I would sacrifice_

_Don't tell me it's not worth fighting for_  
_I can't help it, there's nothing I want more_  
_You know it's true_  
_Everything I do, I do it for you_

_There's no love like your love_  
_And no other could give more love_  
_There's nowhere unless you're there_  
_All the time, all the way_

_Oh, you can't tell me it's not worth trying for_  
_I can't help it, there's nothing I want more_  
_I would fight for you, I'd lie for you_  
_Walk the wire for you, yeah, I'd die for you_

_You know it's true_  
_Everything I do, I do it for you_

Alvin leaned in until his lips met Brittany's, and the two young chipmunks locked their true love and passion in the moonlight. They were so caught up in the moment, that they didn't hear a chorus of voices calling out his name.

"Alvin! Alvin!"

Jeanette and Eleanor came rushing to him, with Simon and Theodore hurrying behind them. The chipettes gathered around Alvin and surrounded him in a group hug, apart from all the laughter and tears that followed.

"You came back? Why didn't you tell us sooner?" asked Jeanette.

Eleanor swatted Alvin's shoulder playfully. "Yeah, you could've given Brittany a heart attack!"

"Well, you know me; I wanted to give you all a surprise." The red-clad chipmunk chuckled as he adjusted his cap and held Brittany closer.

All six of them gazed in awe at the colours that lit up the garden, and it was all the more enjoyable when you had your loved one by your side to treasure that very moment. Simon put an arm around Jeanette, while Theodore and Eleanor held hands, beaming at each other's faces.

Hey, didn't that phrase go 'the night is still young'?

Alvin stole Phelan a secret wink. "Why don't you play it again, DJ?"

The wolf-like chipmunk smiled. "I'd be happy to."

* * *

From his safe distance, Phelan silently watched as the love-struck couples twirled and waltzed away into the gentle night. He could feel the strings tugging at his heart as he sang by himself along to the words.

"You know it's true, everything I do... I do it for you..."

It was all too much to bear. Phelan took one last look at his brothers and their female counterparts, before walking off towards the front of the porch, where he was absolutely sure that nobody would see him.

At first, he just stood there, unable to convey any sense of emotion. But the weight of his grief was staggering, and it finally came tumbling down like a pile of stones.

The wolf-like chipmunk hid his face in the walls and howled in anguish and sorrow. If reuniting Alvin and Brittany was the right thing to do, then why did it have to hurt so badly? _I thought I was being true to love, but it played me like a fool and scorned me to my very soul!_

He could feel the air chilling his bones with every second, but Phelan already knew who had come to disturb the peace.

"_**The fair maiden has run away from her knight in shining armour to be with her beloved commoner."**_ An evil chuckle followed. _**"Ah, so much for unrequited love."**_

"_**You were in love with the girl who stole your heart, and now you're giving her away? You had your chance, and you just let it slip away? She doesn't even deserve to be with that rat!"**_

"That rat," said Phelan, "is my brother, Alvin. And he's ten times the chipmunk you'll ever be!"

"_**You fool! Just look at them! They don't care if your existence is just a speck of dust on this earth – they only care about themselves! If you really loved her, you should've made the first move and claimed her as your prize!"**_

"You're wrong! If I really love her, then I'll let her choose who she really wants to be with for the rest of her life! And I will accept any decision she makes, even if it breaks my heart!" The anger that coursed through Phelan's veins made him sound braver and surer of himself.

"_**Denials, denials. You were always the best in concealing what your heart truly desired. If I were you, I'd spill every single drop of secrets from my blood before the month is over!"**_

His malicious chuckles were now starting to make Phelan see red; even through that cursed shadow of a being's eyes.

"Get lost, foul demon! If I ever see your face again, it'll be your last!"

He swiped at his dark half, who had now dissolved into thin air, carrying his faint laughter on the wind as he drifted away.

"_**You'll regret this soon enough, when our paths cross again, on the full moon... of All Hallow's Eve..."**_

Then silence.

A set of footsteps made Phelan's ears perk up sharply. From the sound of it, there was somebody coming around the corner. Phelan quickly wiped his teary eyes with his sleeves and straightened himself up just as the newcomer stepped into clear view.

It was Soron. Still clad in his shabby silver robes, he was limping slightly on one foot, but there was no denying that smug and confident look radiating from him.

"I knew I'd find you here. Your brother, Simon, told me the whole story of how I ended up being knocked out. But still, there's one thing I remember coming from you."

"What's that?"

In answer, Soron raised a finger and stabbed at Phelan's chest, like punching a typewriter as he now spoke with an edge of darkness in his voice.

"If you ever tell anyone that I got kissed by you, you're going to lose a lot more than just your mouth, you foul mongrel," growled Soron.

"Hey, relax, okay?" said Phelan. "I won't tell a single soul. Besides, it was the only thing I could do to get your heart beating again."

There was a tensed moment as Soron raised an eyebrow in doubt, and then he continued to speak.

"I know I've been harsh on you, and I wasn't exactly the best of company." But then, Soron's voice dropped to a gentler tone that Phelan didn't recognize at first – until he realized it was the silver-clad chipmunk who was speaking.

"So what I really wanted to say... is... thank you. For saving my life. I mean, for saving all our lives."

Soron let out a soft chuckle as he studied Phelan, who was now bathed in the moonlight.

"You know, for a half-breed who's supposed to be an agent of darkness, you're actually one of the really good guys. Perhaps I was wrong in judging you too early."

"And for a cocky and show-off hog who calls himself a warrior of the Light, you're not that bad yourself," smiled Phelan. "I guess there really is some good in you – in all of us for seeing it through."

They turned away for a second, their uncomfortable silence creating a barrier between them, but it was Phelan who was the first to break the ice.

"Look, I'm tired of us arguing and pointing at each other's necks all the time. Why don't we start again from scratch? I'm sure we'll make a great team – you and I." He paused to scratch his tufted ear.

"I'm sorry for all those wicked things I did to cause you so much hurt and pain. And that bite on the shoulder – that was really uncalled for," said Phelan.

Soron let out a huge sigh. "And I'm sorry I'm always calling you a mongrel," he said. "And gave you two black eyes. And for punching you in the face."

They both held out a paw, and shook them at the same time.

Soron, however, did not let go as he looked at Phelan, who seemed to be at certain unease. "What is it?" he prompted.

The wolf-like chipmunk shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know... do you want to hug it out?"

"Are all these human rituals really that necessary?" asked Soron, slightly annoyed. Clearly, it sounded like the silver-clad chipmunk had never shared a hug before.

"It'll make you feel a lot better," promised Phelan, smiling.

"Well, if you say so, fine..."

Soron barely got to finish his sentence as Phelan came over and wrapped his arms around Soron in a brotherly hug. Hesitantly, the silver-clad chipmunk put his arms around Phelan as well, surprised that a simple act of kindness actually made him feel a whole lot better.

If Soron was enjoying it, he didn't say anything out of respect of his warrior's dignity. He gently patted Phelan's back.

"Okay, okay, you can let go now."

Phelan did so, and Soron put an arm on his friend's shoulder.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to go and give myself a heart attack." The silver-clad chipmunk laughed at the surprised look on Phelan's face. "Just kidding. But it's getting late, and I have to make sure we're all prepared.

"Prepared for what?" asked Phelan, confused.

"This thing, about what you're going to do on Halloween? Is it... confirmed?" asked Soron.

"How did you find out?"

Soron pointed at his ear. "Some things are much harder to conceal in the shadows, I believe."

Phelan sighed, and then shook his head. "I... I don't know. I mean, about what I should do? What d'you think, Soron?"

"Well, don't tell your brothers and their girlfriends about it. They'll be absolutely devastated when they find out about it, especially now that you've got them back as a family again."

Phelan shifted about uncomfortably.

"I... kinda gave Theodore the slip. He took it well, but he promised to keep it hush, though I doubt he's good with secrets."

"The little green one? Oh, we don't need to worry about him," said Soron. "He's got a heart of gold, but he's a simple and innocent chipmunk. I'm sure he's forgotten all about it by now."

"Theodore cracks under the slightest of pressures," reminded Phelan.

"If he does, there's not much he can do about it anyway. We're the only ones who can stand up to this craziness when it rains down on us."

Phelan nodded. "So, we shake on it, then? Secret to the end?"

"To the end," said Soron, and they shook paws. The silver-clad chipmunk had just made a stop for the gate when Phelan held him back.

"Aren't you going to stay for a while? You can be a part of our family if you want."

Soron smiled, and for the first time, it was a smile full of sincerity and warmth gained from his new-found friendship.

"Thanks for the offer, but my place is back in the wilderness where I truly belong. And yours is right here, where you've got a home and a family. I believe you've found something worth fighting for. Don't take them for granted."

Soron motioned towards the back garden, where Alvin and Brittany were still playing the dancing lovers under heaven's watchful view. "You really love her, don't you, Phelan?"

Phelan could only manage a weak, but sad smile.

"Sometimes we have to pull off the greatest of sacrifices for the ones we care about. It may not be the easiest, but it's certainly the best of choices." With that said, Soron gave Phelan a warm pat and another hug.

"Don't worry, bro, you've got a soul mate waiting for you, and someday, she'll want to be with you for the rest of your life, both here and in the after."

With a final wave, Soron bid him goodbye, then walked down the concrete pathway.

Phelan called out to him. "You're a strange guy, you know that? Why is it that you're always here one minute and gone the next?"

The silver-clad chipmunk paused in his steps.

"Haven't you realized it all this time?"

When he next spoke, there was a twinkle in his lively brown eyes.

"_This isn't my story, Phelan, it's yours. _Only you can determine the fate of your destiny, as well as the ones you hold dear to your heart."

Soron turned a bend around the corner and disappeared, just like the hero who rides off into the sunset at the end of the movies.

_Words of wisdom from a warrior who appears to be wiser beyond his years,_ thought Phelan to himself.

Looking beyond the midnight horizon, he raised his paw in a salute.

* * *

Phelan remained silent as he headed back to his room, keeping a watchful eye out in case someone saw him missing in action. After wrestling with his inner thoughts on what should be done next, it took him two seconds to make up his mind and set out his heart.

Phelan took off his blood-spattered trench coat and slipped into his pyjamas, feeling the familiar comfort of wearing his favourite clothes once more. Then he went downstairs and into the living room.

Just as his wolf-like senses had predicted, Dave was seated in his favourite armchair with a mug of hot chocolate, relieved that the chaos and troubles of his family had been settled at last, and his sons were together once more.

He looked up at Phelan, who had cleared his throat to announce his presence.

"Dave?"

"Yes, Phelan?"

He gulped. "Can... I talk to you for a moment, please?"

"Sure, what's wrong?"

Phelan looked shyly at his feet as he shuffled them.

"There's something I should've told you long ago..."

With a warm smile, Dave motioned for his son to sit on his lap.

He knew that whatever Phelan had to say, this was certainly going to take all night...

* * *

_To Be Continued..._

_This was for all you Alvittany fans out there! What, did you think I'd forget to patch up a broken relationship? ;)_

_Well, it seems that Phelan's about to let all loose, don't you think? What will become of the wolf-like chipmunk's fate, and how will he vanquish the Darkness once and for all? All this and more on the next chapter!_

_P.S: The song that Alvin serenades Brittany with is Bryan Adams' Everything I Do (I Do It For You)._

_P.S.S: I was surprised that Phelan got a vote for Most Cutest OC. Will the anonymous reviewer kindly reveal who you are, so that Phelan and I can thank you personally. :)_

_- Winddragon_


	16. The Healing of a Heart

_Hey there, fellow readers! Guess I've kept you waiting for a really, really long time, huh? Sorry about that. I've been kept busy._

_This chapter was actually planned at the last minute, and although I tried to get some co-writers for this round, it turned out to be a liitle inconvenient. I hope you can forgive me for that._

_But now I'm back to finishing what I've started, so here's another chapter of Phelan's adventures! :)_

* * *

**Chapter 16: The Healing of a Heart**

Phelan felt safe and reassured in the comfort of Dave's lap, but where one would expect the scene of a parent telling his child a bedtime story, instead, the child told him everything.

In the next quarter of an hour, Phelan had already told enough of his story that could've filled a book: the causes of death he brought upon his forest friends, the internal battles with his darkness, his crashing onto the Seville's doorstep, the dreams that brought all seven chipmunks together, the fights he had with Soron, and the secret training with Alvin which turned out to be a fraud.

While Dave listened attentively and kept quiet as he took in Phelan's story, yet his eyes blinked in unconcealed surprise. After all, how often do you come across a chipmunk who harnessed such great powers and carried that much of responsibility?

But it didn't stop there.

"What Alvin told you the night he ran away wasn't a lie, Dave." The wolf-like chipmunk's throat was obstructed with heavy grief. "I brought this chaos onto us all because I couldn't keep my paws off Brittany... and I was a curse to everyone who came near me..."

At this point, Phelan found that he could not continue. For the second time that night, he let go of the sorrow buried deep within and buried himself into Dave's shirt. Dave pulled him closer and rocked his adopted son gently as the silent air was punctured with Phelan's muffled sobs and Dave's reassuring shushes.

As Phelan sat up a little straighter and gathered himself, Dave felt his heart truly touched and reaching out for his son's current situation. Staring at him was not the face of a hopeful wolf, burning with the courage to fight; but it was that of a whimpering puppy, extremely remorseful of the deeds he'd done.

"Dave, I'm only thirteen. I don't want to be known as a killer for the rest of my life."

His eyes welled up with regret. "I shouldn't have come here in the first place! Alvin was right, this is all my fault!"

Dave gently hugged his newest son, gently rubbing his back as the poor chipmunk squeezed dry the last of his tears. "No one blames you, Phelan. These things didn't happen on purpose. Besides, I'm sure you care for your brothers and the chipettes so much, that you never wanted these accidents to happen in the first place.

"I just want you to know, Phelan, that you're doing a good job in watching over Alvin and the others. And I'm very proud of you, so keep it up. It's not like you to give up so easily."

"I'm not giving up, Dave. I just want to know... what am I really fighting for?"

"Well, I'd say you've been fighting for us," a voice piped up from behind.

"Simon, is that you?"

Dave and the wolf-like chipmunk turned their heads to see that the rest of the gang had finally noticed Phelan's absence and entered the living room. The expressions on their face were surprised and confused. Only moments ago, Phelan had set up such a romantic setting for Alvin and Brittany, and even better was the defeat of the dark being within him. Why was he drowning in his sorrows?

"Phelan what's wrong?" Theodore asked, stepping towards Phelan.

Everyone followed his lead until Dave and Phelan were surrounded by the six chipmunks. Phelan wasn't sure what to say. After the happy moment that he had created for them, he didn't want there to be any tears, or at least none from them. Dave seemed to sense how he was feeling.

"Phelan is just a little upset over what has been happening. He didn't want to spoil your moment together, so he came inside. And he told me everything that has been going on."

At this, the gang of chipmunks looked up, surprised. Dave seemed to be taking the news rather lightly. They had expected that he would feel at least somewhat different towards Phelan after the truth, but then again, he was Dave. Always the caring and nurturing father that had looked after the Chipmunks, and the Chipettes, for most of their lives.

"Well…" Dave started as he stood up, making Phelan leap down to the ground. The wolf-like chipmunk still kept his teary eyes away from his siblings and the chipettes, shielding his feelings away as he gripped both his arms while trying to maintain a sense of composure.

"Alright…" Dave yawned as he stretched his arms. "If any of you need me, I'll be in my room. I have some papers to finish before tomorrow, so I expect that all of you get to bed on time, okay?"

"Yes, Dave…" replied the seven chipmunks.

Once Dave walked down the hallway, they silently waited for the quiet click of Dave's door, and the sound of the lock turning before they began moving.

Phelan was about to leave when Brittany stood in front of him.

"We need to talk…" she said, crossing her arms and locking her icy-blue eyes on him.

Phelan had no other choice. His now dull feelings for Brittany still lingered over his broken heart, and with Brittany commanding him, no matter how much will power he had wanting to go against her, he ended up conceding.

"Okay. What do you want?"

"We just wanted to tell you, Phelan-"

"-that even though you've been a jerk to us-" Alvin cut in.

"A very caring, loving and sensitive jerk," corrected Brittany.

Jeanette smiled. "We don't really care what you've done, Phelan."

"Because it's only human, I mean, normal, that we learn to forgive and forget," Eleanor chimed in.

Phelan was speechless, especially when Theodore came over and gave him a hug. "Please don't be sad, Phelan," said the youngest green-clad chipmunk. "We're not mad at you anymore. You're like a big brother to all of us!"

Still, his act of kindness did nothing to sooth Phelan's troubled and dark-clad soul.

"Well… we were just about to talk to you, and how you're taking all this in…" Simon's words trailed off when Phelan gripped his paw around Simon's collar. The wolf-like chipmunk's eyes flared with blood-red hatred as he lifted his struggling brother with ease.

_"How the hell do you think I'm taking this in?_" Phelan half-screamed, half-sobbed.

Brittany's paw then appeared on his arm, making Phelan gasp in shock as his muscles relaxed. He slowly released Simon from his grip and instantly Jeanette ran toward him, hugging him tightly and hushing him and his panicked breathing.

"Shh…" she cooed. "It's alright… I'm here."

All six of them stared at Phelan. His eyes had now lost their streak of insane red and were as calm as the forest that shone in them.

Alvin advanced forward, as though he wanted to punch Phelan again for almost hurting his brother, but Phelan had already taken two steps back, looking with utmost fear at his outstretched paws.

It was as if he couldn't recognize any part of himself.

"Get away from me! I don't want to hurt any of you again!" cried Phelan.

While Alvin and the others still felt the need to comfort Phelan, he felt himself being backed up against a corner. In that single moment of uncontrollable distress, Phelan drew the shadows nearer to him, and a translucent wall shot up from the floor, creating a barrier of sorts between the wolf-like chipmunk and whoever dared to confront him.

"Phelan, don't do this to yourself!" pleaded Brittany. "I've told you, you're not a monster!"

But Phelan didn't know what to do anymore. Clearly, he was on the brink of losing his sanity.

"Look at me!" he screamed. "I grabbed Simon! I could've beaten the crud out of him, or worse, I could've snapped his neck if I wanted to!"

"That's not you, Phelan. We're just trying to help you," said Alvin, meaning every word.

"Why are you doing this? Why are you making me feel more guilty?"

As the six of them looked at each other with great bewilderment, Phelan explained further, his temper escalating with every word.

"My issues with my deranged ego, all of you were nearly killed at the school, Alvin ran away because I took Brittany from him, and I turned on him, Simon, Theodore and Soron because I couldn't control my powers!" He paused to catch his breath. "Don't you have every reason in the world to hate me by now?"

Without waiting for an answer, Alvin stepped in front of the group and made his way slowly towards Phelan. He raised a hesitant paw and put it cautiously through the wall of shadows and found itself resting on Phelan's shoulder. Perhaps the red-clad chipmunk didn't feel anything, because Alvin's selfless act of caring caught Phelan by surprise that – he let his guard down.

And right now, the warrior of the darkness was a helpless wreck as he knelt to the ground, his paws clenched in fury while he cried hysterically once more; this time Alvin was willing to lend his shoulder.

"Phelan, you've got to stop beating yourself up," said Alvin, rubbing Phelan's back. "I mean, I'm the one who's always getting my name yelled over and over, for crying out loud, but nobody holds a sore grudge after that."

"Unless it involves a black eye and some broken bones?" Phelan sniffled.

Alvin scratched his head. "Well, I'm really sorry about that."

"Still, that's what a family's for; we learn to accept each other's strengths and weakness for who they truly are," Simon chimed in, and even the chipettes nodded their approval.

Phelan managed a weak smile, but even that false pretence crumbled away into a frown as he sighed with his reasoning.

"Look, you guys, I know you've been very caring and forgiving towards me, and I'm really appreciative for all of that.

"But the real question is – can I ever forgive myself for what I've done?"

"Phelan..." Brittany reached out a paw to comfort the fallen warrior, but he pulled himself away.

"Just leave me alone, please? I think it's best if I stayed away from all of you – for a while."

Before anyone could make their next move, Phelan had already slumped into the shadows and disappeared from plain sight.

"W-wait! Phelan! Where did you go?" Alvin called out.

It was fortunate for him that his voice didn't bring Dave running downstairs.

"I think we should leave him be, and let him calm down until he's ready to talk things out with us," Simon reasoned with his brother.

"But, you don't think he's going to do something stupid, like... like..." Jeanette wondered.

"He's a Seville; he's one of us. Don't worry; he'll do the right thing."

* * *

Phelan reappeared in the secluded safety of their bedroom. With no one to bother him, he could at least spend the night dwelling on the past and to clear out his thoughts.

Or he could deal with that later, as the frustrated chipmunk threw himself onto his bed, buried his face in his pillow and screamed until his throat felt like burning.

Then exhaustion took over his body, and he sank into sleep.

* * *

The dreams came to him, and they came over him like a sheet; quiet, yet almost surreal.

When he awoke to his senses, he felt as if he'd seen everything, yet known almost nothing at all about the place he was standing in.

The trees that swayed in rhythm to the graceful air, the grass that stood beneath his paws like a lush green carpet, the cool breeze that lifted his spirits and whipped a new resurgence into his face...

Everything seems familiar, like I've been here, but in a previous life. Can this be?

The smell of mountain pine bliss and the fresh, crispy leaves which caused his ears to perk up was the answer he needed to satisfy his doubts.

_I can't believe it... this is the forest where I was born! I... I'm home!_

He was about to revel in his new-found, yet long-lost sanctuary, when he felt the presence of another living being. It called out to him, and it brought with it a sense of awakened memories.

"Phelan... Phelan... I'm over here..."

Her voice shone with such brightness, almost as radiant as the aura that surrounded it. Though there was no definite form, Phelan could picture a body to go with it, and a face that he had not seen in years to come.

"M...Mother? Is that really you?"

"My son... I've missed you so much..."

"I think that's supposed to be my line." His voice was choked up with happiness as the haloed figure approached him and he embraced it, feeling the warmth he had yearned for his entire life.

"Mom, I'm so sorry. I wasn't strong enough to save you." Tears burned the sides of his face.

"Don't blame yourself, my son. Nobody wishes for these cruel acts of fate to happen, but it all leads to a person's destiny."

Was it just him, or did everyone in the dream world speak with the debonair of the mysterious and ethereal?

"But Mom, I did nothing. I couldn't help you... if I knew how to use my powers at that time, I could've stopped that fox from... from..."

He felt a heavy urge in his heart to go on, but his struggling was hushed by a warm and gentle hug from his mother.

"Phelan, in these worlds of dreams that I walk, I've watched you grow over the years; I look at the many things you have accomplished in your life. And I'm so proud of you, my son. You're so mysterious, but brave and bold, just like your father."

Phelan shuddered deeply as he thought of the father he had never known his entire life. Having grown up with only a mother's love, he didn't feel even half of the chipmunk he was supposed to be. Being showered with affection from members of the same gender had never occurred naturally to Phelan. Until fate brought him to a doorstep which welcomed a certain family of loving chipmunks.

"She's right, you know. You've certainly proved me wrong since the first time we crossed paths."

Phelan turned his head at the direction of the new voice. Surprise took over him when he figured out who it was.

"Soron? What are you doing in my dream?"

"I brought him here," said Phelan's mother. "You're not the only one who can influence the outcome of other people's dreams."

"But, why did you do that?"

"Phelan, this realm was not built to shut out your problems in the real world. And don't think you can fool me, even though I'm your mother. In dreams, we know to turn problems into books. But to share them is uplifting for the soul."

Phelan rolled his eyes and sighed. "I guess you know what's been happening to me in the week I've been living with my chipmunk family, huh?"

The haloed figure only nodded in silence.

"I had it all; friends, a family, even a girl who had feelings for me. But everything I hold dear has been a poison that's breaking my heart. Why am I losing everything?" asked Phelan.

"No, you haven't," reassured Phelan's mother. "To lose everything is to give in completely to the darkness, to not remember what is was like to love, and then no one will remember you for the chipmunk you choose to become."

Phelan hung his head. "Still, I feel like I'm the one causing all of this. I'm such a jerk."

"Well, I'm not one to push your buttons," said Soron, raising an eyebrow, "but you were always on the opposing side, even when we were fighting it out. So yeah, that kinda makes you a jerk."

"Thanks, Soron." Phelan glared at him. "I feel a whole lot better now."

Phelan's mother chuckled as she looked on at her son's antics; he could still be funny and yet not know about it. She brought her son closer to her embrace.

"Everything exists for a purpose. Everyone has a place in this world. And tonight, Phelan, I believe you have found yours."

And then, just like the first beam of light, it dawned on him.

The true reason as to why he came to live with the Chipmunks in the first place.

"I always wanted to have a brother," said Soron as he gave Phelan a playful noogie. "Looks like I finally got one who's a pain in the ass, well, not much."

"Now, it's time you carried on that responsibility in your family. I know you'll make me proud," she beamed.

And perhaps now, thought Phelan, it would the best time to leave and set things right, though his heart panged at the thought of leaving his sanctuary.

"Will I see you again, Mom?"

"For now, trust in your faith, and trust in those whom you have grown to love. But yes, think of me, and I will be with you, be it here or on the other side..."

* * *

The sound of the door clicking jolted Phelan back into reality.

He opened his eyes, just as the lights came on and Alvin and his brothers walked in.

"Oh, good to have you here, Phelan," smiled Alvin. "Hope we didn't disturb you."

Phelan shook his head. "I'm good. Where are the girls?"

"Back with Miss Miller. It's way past our bedtime, anyway," said Theodore.

The wolf-like chipmunk smiled; just knowing that his friends were safe for the night brought some comfort to his well-being.

They were just about to get ready for bed when Phelan brought up the first thing he remembered from his dreams.

"Do you remember... what your mother was like?"

Alvin nodded. "Of course. She was kind, loving, and always thought about us."

"She couldn't take care of us during the winter that robbed the forest of its natural sources, so she left us with Dave, who was kind enough to take us in," continued Simon.

"Why do you ask?" Theodore wondered.

"I... had a dream. About my own mom. I barely remember her face, but I know what she told me."

He stood up and looked his brothers straight in the eye.

"Guys, you were right. I shouldn't blame myself for all the troubles that happened. Even if it wasn't intentional of me. Can you forgive me for being a jerk – to myself?"

Alvin came over and put an arm around Phelan's shoulder.

"Let's promise never to let girls come between us ever again," he said. "Unless it's Brittany."

"Deal." They shook paws.

The thought of being a family once more brought back memories of the past, and he sang from his heart:

_Everywhere I turn, I hurt someone  
But there's nothing I can say to change  
the things I've done  
Of all the things I hid from you  
I cannot hide the shame  
And I pray someone, something will come  
to take away the pain_

_There's no way out of this dark place_  
_No hope, no future_  
_I know I can't be free_  
_But I can't see another way_  
_I can't face another day_

_Tell me where did I go wrong_  
_Everyone I loved, they're all gone_  
_I'd do everything differently_  
_but I can't turn back the time_  
_There's no shelter_  
_from the storm inside of me_

_There's no way out of this dark place_  
_No hope, no future_  
_I know I can't be free_  
_But I can't see another way_  
_I can't face another day_

_I can't believe the words I hear_  
_It's like an answer to a prayer_  
_When I look around I see_  
_This place, this time, this friend of mine_

_I know it's hard_  
_But you found somehow_  
_To look into your heart_  
_And to forgive me now_  
_You've given me the strength to see_  
_just where my journey ends_  
_You've given me_  
_the strength to carry on_

_I see the path from this dark place_  
_I see my future_  
_Your forgiveness has set me free_  
_On and I can see another way_  
_I can face another day!_

As Phelan finished, he found himself surrounded in a group hug by his fellow chipmunks.

"So, are we cool? Brothers?"

"Brothers," smiled Theodore.

Simon nodded. "Family."

"To the very end," grinned Alvin.

The night endures long enough before it gives way to the dawn, but the darkness does not come and go so easily.

It never ends.

* * *

_To Be Continued..._

_The song is Phil Collins' No Way Out, which I thought suited well with Phelan's situation._

_Ok, I hate to be the bringer, but there comes good news and bad news._

_The good news: Phelan's made peace with everyone! Well, almost everyone..._

_The NOT-so-bad news: With this chapter posted, the next one is going immediately into Halloween mode. Which brings us closer to the end, so be prepared for that._

_Until then, please leave your reviews, and I'll see you when Phelan and the Darkness go into their final showdown - on Halloween night!_

_~ Wind_


	17. Dark Is The Hallowed Night

_Yay, I'm back, and with another chapter to add on!_

_Consider it as my Christmas present to all of you who's reading it. Although I must admit, the atmosphere in this chapter isn't really Christmassy, but you may think of it as a sort of The Nightmare Before Christmas feel. ;)_

_So, without further ado, enjoy reading!_

_P.S: I want to say a big thank you to Victory's Raconteur and Perry for helping me out with this chapter; they're the wolves who run strong in my pack! :D  
_

* * *

**Chapter 17: Dark is the Hallowed Night**

"Alvin, will you please stop practicing your scaring effects on Theodore? You're likely to creep out the whole school with your presence as it is!" groaned Simon.

Alvin smirked as he shrugged his shoulders. "Well, what can I say? That means I'm already doing a good job!"

Phelan shook his head and grinned to himself as he and his brothers were getting into their costumes. It was a full moon tonight on All Hallow's Eve, better known to everyone else as Halloween, which was truly the night where all things spooky and bizarre came to life.

_Perhaps he will come tonight, being spooky and bizarre as he is_, Phelan pondered as he attached his phantom mask to the left side of his face. _If he does, I hope this mask can hide the true warrior inside of me, as well as this secret I must keep._

It pained him, in mind and in soul, not to tell anyone of the deed he was about to do tonight. Well, maybe except for Soron and Theodore.

But tonight was a family night; their special night, and Phelan certainly wasn't going to ruin it for anyone with talks of vanquishing the darkness of his crazed other half.

He wiped his mind clear from further unpleasant thoughts as his brothers were almost done with their finishing touches.

Simon was going as his favourite literary idol, Sherlock Holmes, rather than his usual dress code as a mad scientist, which frankly, he was started to get bored of it. He was wearing his signature brown plaid detective's coat and cap, which came with a magnifying lens in his coat pocket and a fake cigar with bubbles that came out when he blew on it.

"Phelan, be honest with me. Am I scary enough?" asked Alvin, who was lumbering across the room in his Frankenstein costume. It was after all, per his love and obsession to horror movies and monsters.

Phelan rolled his eyes. "Alvin, Simon already says that you're freaking out Theodore. Frankly, I think you're doing the same to everyone in this room."

The usually red-clad chipmunk had swapped his favourite cap for a wig, complete with studded bolts sticking out from his neck, and his face was covered with green makeup; his eyes sunken with excessive eye shadow. The only red in his costume showed through the shirt he wore behind his tattered brown jacket and torn white pants.

Theodore was struggling to get into his costume. Much to the surprise of his brothers, he was going as a werewolf, which came across as a very ironic thought – considering what Theodore had really gone through a few years ago. It was a memory that he, his brothers (minus Phelan) and the Chipettes were not likely to forget.

"I shouldn't have eaten all that pre-Halloween candy! Help me, guys! I'm stuck!"

But now, it seemed like the wolf didn't want to fit into Theodore's struggling belly.

Phelan, who had just donned himself a long black cape, gave it a few practice swishes with a wave of his paw before going over to Theodore.

"Here Theo, let me give you a hand."

He helped Theodore fit into his furry jumpsuit, and told him to stay still. After attaching a few fake hairs and some makeup, Phelan thought he did alright for his first time; Theodore really did look scary.

Or maybe he did too good a job, because both Alvin and Simon were now holding their sides as they burst out into hysterical laughter.

"What's so funny?" asked Phelan.

Simon had to wipe his glasses and readjust them from falling off. "Theo, you look just like Phelan!"

"No, you both really look like a pack of wolves!" Alvin guffawed.

Both Phelan and Theodore looked at each other, burst out laughing, and then at themselves in the mirror.

"Wow, we really do look almost alike!" beamed Theodore. "Like real wolves!"

"You know what I'm thinking?" grinned Phelan mischievously. "Let's show them how it's really done!"

The younger _wolf-like_ chipmunk nodded. "Yeah, let's do it!"

And together, they both threw back their heads and let out a long and mournful howl.

"Aah-woooooo!"

The four of them were laughing from the pits of their bellies, when suddenly, they heard the doorbell ring.

Alvin had stopped laughing. "It's got to be the girls. Keep it cool, you guys."

"I'll get it!" said Phelan, dashing his way down the stairs. As the black clad-chipmunk quickly opened the door, he got into character by taking a deep bow at the chipettes standing in the doorway, all clad in their costumes.

Brittany was dressed up as a vampire. Her lips were tainted with rose red lipstick, with her face covered well with white powder, giving her that deathly-pale looking effect. She wore a light pink dress underneath her Dracula cape, with her fake fangs hanging in the front row of her teeth.

She leaned seductively on the doorway, licking her fangs while making Phelan's eyes grow wide with shock.

"Um, h-hi B-Britt…" he mumbled, still star-struck.

"Hey Phelan, glad you opened the door for us…" she smiled devilishly."Where's Alvin and the others?"

"I-inside…" he uttered, blinking back to reality.

"Thanks. Come on girls, let's go greet our boys," she ushered her sisters in. Phelan eyed the other two chipettes' costumes as they passed him and entered the Seville household.

Eleanor, being the frolicking and free-spirit one of the trio, was wearing a furry brown bear costume, with the ears just barely concealing her blond hair as she walked inside with an ear to ear smile, shaking her fake furry tail in the process.

"And what are you supposed to be, Phelan?" she asked, looking at the wolf-like chipmunk with great curiosity.

"The Phantom of the Opera is here, inside your mind!" Phelan burst out in a soprano tone, causing everyone to laugh out loud at his comical performance.

Jeanette was clad in a royal purple cloak that covered a pale lavender dress. Her light makeup gave her a close resemblance to the damsel in distress in one of those murder novels. She had her regular black-rimmed glasses changed to a set of light violet, and her hair drooped down to her shoulders instead of being messed up in a bun. Phelan eyed her with a smile as he gestured her inside.

"Where's Simon?" she asked shyly, lightly blushing at her own question.

"Inside, with Alvin and Theo." He could tell Jeanette was playing her part very well by the look in her eyes. Phelan gently placed a paw on her shoulder, making their eyes meet.

"I'm sure Simon will love your costume…" he assured with a light smile.

"Really?" she asked, with Phelan only nodding in reply.

With a relieved sigh, Phelan and the chipettes made their way to the living room to meet up with their siblings.

Simon's mouth dropped in sheer awe when he looked at Jeanette's dress. Alvin and Brittany were busy laughing and mingling with each other that they failed to notice Simon's shocked expression. Theodore and Eleanor were giggling behind everyone's backs as they stared at Simon's face.

Alvin gleamed at Brittany lovingly as he tickled her chin, making her giggle.

Theo and Eleanor sat together comfortably, looking like a well made furry couple.

And Simon stared deeply and awe-struck at Jeanette, who looked like the lovely lady in one of Holmes's series.

"Aw, isn't that sweet? You two make the perfect cuddly and furry couple!" Phelan smiled, complementing Theodore and Eleanor, which snapped Simon back to reality.

"H – Hi Simon…" Jeanette bashfully uttered, making Simon swallow the lump that suddenly formed in his throat.

"H – Hey Jeanette…" he mumbled, fiddling with his thumbs. He gathered enough courage to look her in the eyes as he smiled. "You look beautiful."

"T – Thanks…" she replied, blushing. "Y-you look good too…" she smiled, and the two bespectacled chipmunks turned away from each other with blushing pink cheeks and shy smiles on their faces.

"We're gonna rock that Halloween party!" Alvin grinned, leaning his face toward Brittany's. The chipette teasingly dodged her counterpart's face with a sly grin, making him pout in feign disappointment.

"Aw, playing hard to get, Brit?" he asked with a cocky smile.

"Well…" She whispered in his ear, running her finger all over his chest. "You know you can bite me anytime you want to, baby."

They moved in closer as their lips bonded into a deep kiss, not caring even if their makeup was going to be smudged.

"Okay, break it up, please!" Phelan interrupted, making the loving Addams family couple break off their kiss. "We're running late, guys! Get a room, or get a move on!"

Laughing loudly, the seven chipmunks got into the limo Dave hired for them, and they made their way to the school gymnasium for the Halloween Ball.

* * *

Tonight, the gym was all decked out in orange and black, with streamers and fake bats that hung with a ghoulish atmosphere to go with the flow.

Phelan cautiously sniffed the air. Everybody who was partying tonight was somebody he recognized. There were no unfamiliar scents, but there was certainly a change in attire and environment.

"Wow, this is amazing!" Phelan told Alvin. "I've never celebrated Halloween before. Is it always this noisy?"

Alvin thumped his shoulder. "It's about to get even better!"

Much to everyone's surprise, Phelan decided that he was going to sing alongside his brothers, which would make it his debut performance as a member of the Chipmunks. With the decision firmly cast, the whole school was looking forward to the grand event that seemed very promising.

One guest stood out more than the rest, not because he was the shortest, but even in his cloak and hooded robe, he caught first sight of Phelan and the chipmunks and waved to them.

"You always had a spot for theatrics," said Soron as he first glanced at Phelan's phantom costume. "And this time, you've really outdone yourself, Phelan."

But the others didn't have time to be impressed.

"Soron? What are you doing here?" asked Alvin.

"Technically, this is a costume party, isn't it? I thought the whole point of this special gathering was to come as someone other than yourself. Anyway, who's going to recognize me among the hundreds of students?" winked the gate-crashing chipmunk.

"And what are you supposed to be?" Alvin looked up and down at Soron's brown hooded robe.

The question seemed to almost make him feel taken aback.

"I'm a Jedi Knight, duh!"

"Is that so? Because I thought you looked more like the goofy one rather than Obi-Wan."

Soron was the only one to issue a dry laugh. "Hahaha. Very funny, Alvin. But I bet you won't be laughing when you see this."

He reached into his pockets and pulled out what looked like an ordinary sword hilt. With a touch of a button, a beam of light shot out from the hilt, hissing in a shiny, brilliant blue. The chipmunks, especially Alvin, gaped in awe.

"Wow! That's a real lightsaber, isn't it?"

"Made it myself from scratch," Soron beamed, folding his arms. "And that's not the best part of it."

He ran a paw through the beam of light, but both his hand and the blade remained unscathed, which brought up more oohs and aahs from his fellow chipmunks.

"Does nothing to the naked human touch, of course. But run this baby through any degenerate creature of darkness, and it's enough to inflict third-degree burns of the worst kind." The way he spoke it, anyone would've guessed that the always vigilante warrior of light was on his guard, especially for tonight.

"No really, what are you doing here?"

"I'm on guard, as always. It's my duty to keep you guys safe."

"Well, we've got Phelan here to protect us!" beamed Theodore, pulling Phelan closer.

"Yeah, you shouldn't worry about a thing, Soron. Tonight's all about partying; what could possibly go wrong?" Brittany grinned through her sharp vampire teeth.

Phelan and Soron both gave each other nervous looks.

But a secret wink and a nod from both warriors of the light and dark was enough to reassure them that nothing had spilled from their lips, and that whatever went down between the two of them was just something that they could definitely settle.

"Guys, could you excuse me for a few minutes?" asked Phelan. "I need to get some air."

"Sure," Alvin nodded, "just be back in five, ok? We've got a show to do."

But Phelan had already left with a swish of his cloak, leaving the others to wonder about his almost strange behaviour.

"Aw, come on, give Phelan a break, it's his first night performing with you guys. I don't blame him if he's getting stage fright," reassured Soron, though he didn't sound as confident as he usually did.

"You're probably right," Alvin waved him off as he signalled to Simon and Theodore. "Come on, we've got to get the stage prepared for us!"

Of course, the real stage was where the main events of the night were about to take place...

* * *

Outside, where everything was quiet and still under the full moon, Phelan glanced up at the twilight cloak that was adorned with sparkling stars.

If he was serious about going on with the plan, his resolve was burning stronger than ever, and nothing would stand in the way.

It was time.

He knelt by the edge of a tall tree, where the shadows were big enough to cover him. Closing his eyes, the wolf-like chipmunk then crossed his arms, as though in prayer, and then mentioned a chant he remembered when he was still an apprentice in times of need.

"In the absence of light, I summon thee.

The darkness comes and my soul will be free."

Phelan waited in the shadows, but nothing happened. He repeated the chant again, but the only changes that took place were the seconds that had flown by.

Swishing his cloak in annoyance, he decided to try another chant.

"Seek me in shadows, dark as the night .

Let my body be bound in eternal midnight."

Night and midnight? Who on earth comes up with these stupid rhymes, anyway?

And still nothing happened, which only triggered Phelan to punch the tree in his fury.

"I've had it up to here with your stupid games!" he yelled to the bleak sky above. "You want to play? Fine, I'll play! If you're going to show your face, come down here right now, and let's end this!"

No sooner had he just finished his ranting, when all of a sudden, he felt a little queasy. It felt like something was trying to push inside of him and turn him inside out.

Something, Phelan knew with a foreboding feeling, that was tainted and impure.

His feet were dragging him back into the school hall, and against the remaining threads that held his will and sanity, Phelan stumbled like a dead man rising.

* * *

The crowd was already getting restless, and still there was no sign of the wolf-like chipmunk.

"Perhaps we should go check on our brother, and see where he's been," said Simon, having tuned the strings of his bass.

Alvin was about to agree when they caught sight of Phelan, who was casually walking back. He got off the stage and went to get him.

"Phelan, where have you been? We were supposed to start five minutes ago! Come on; let's give them all a great show for tonight!"

As he dragged Phelan on stage, Alvin failed to notice his brother's eyes turn a gleaming red and his mouth turn into a grinning abyss of fangs.

_Oh, you'll be getting a show, alright. But it's one that you're never, ever going to forget.  
_

* * *

As Phelan got up on stage, the whole school cheered their deafening approval, while his bile started to rise in his throat.

Maybe I can warn them, right before it's too late!

He staggered up to the mike and looked out at the audience.

"I have something to say to you guys tonight-"

Those were the last words he remembered speaking, because everything went black, but not before he felt the tainted and impurity take over his body completely...

"_That you are all going to die!_"

The crowd stopped in their tracks, wondering if they heard him correctly.

"_And I want you all to look deep into the face of your new lord and master who is about to control your pathetic destinies!_"

Black lightning erupted and danced from Phelan's fingertips. As he raised his paws, the lightning danced wildly and all over the ground. A few bolts that soared to the sky shattered the fluorescent lights above like gunshots, sending hundreds of shards raining down on the now-terrified audience.

The ceilings burst into black flames.

Everybody was either screaming or running for the nearest exit. Everyone except the chipmunks, who stood transfixed in utter shock and horror at the chaos unfolding before them, and Soron, who had just put on his game face as he ignited his lightsaber in a battle stance, shooting a death look at Phelan.

Only this time, it wasn't really him at all.

"Phelan, what are you doing?" Alvin rushed out to restrain him, but what used to be Phelan had merely pushed him aside like a rag doll.

"_I am the Darkness, the bane of the Light! We will witness the birth of a new world covered completely in night!"_

His rich, throaty laughter sliced through the walls and stabbed the very heart of evil.

They could only watch in horror as the demonized Phelan strode ominously towards the exit. The dark chipmunk lifted a blazing paw, blasted a hole in the doorway and walked off into the night sky, his hideous cackling still penetrating the eerie screams that pierced the air.

Alvin sank to his knees. Tears filled his eyes as he was still horrified by the whole scene. When he caught sight of Soron, fury took over him as he pounced on the suspicious Jedi knight.

"You knew something was going to happen to Phelan! And don't lie about it; I can see it in your eyes!"

"Well, why am I not surprised?" Soron's sarcasm never seemed to be far behind. "But tell me, have you heard of the word 'secret'? 'Cause that's something Phelan and I both know how to share!"

Simon leapt down from the stage and confronted Soron.

"This is our brother we're talking about! Soron, you've got to tell us! What the hell's going on?"

With a defeated look, Soron let out a huge sigh.

"Phelan was going to use the darkness inside of him to summon his other half. It's dangerous, but it's the only way he can finally get rid of that greater evil!"

"What do you mean, it's dangerous?"

"Because on Halloween night, the Darkness is at its most powerful state! It can possess and take control of any being that uses the powers of darkness within themselves. But it's also at its weakest, because it now takes on a mortal form that can be destroyed!"

"Destroyed? You mean..."

One look from Soron's solemn expression was all it took for the six chipmunks to fully understand the situation they now found themselves caught in.

"If Phelan succeeds in destroying his other dark half, the ritual will sacrifice him as well."

It took the combined strength of Simon and the others to pull Alvin away as he lunged at Soron and grabbed him by the collar of his robe.

"Why didn't you tell us from the start? Why didn't Phelan tell us anything?"

"H...he did tell me."

Everyone turned to look at Theodore, who looked exactly like a terrified puppy in his costume. Soron came to his rescue.

"He had to keep it a secret from you! He told me how happy he was when you guys just got back together! And after all he's done, do you think he'd want you to worry about him?"

Alvin let go of Soron; he was right, Phelan had sacrificed too much to save everyone and the sake of their well-being.

But, were they truly brothers or not?

It took Alvin a second to decide what to do next.

"Come on, you guys! We've got to save Phelan!" The six chipmunks and chipettes ran for the doorway.

"Stay here! This isn't your battle!" Soron blocked the way.

But Alvin only shoved him aside.

"Don't you understand? He'll die; it's his destiny to perish in battle!"

"I don't care about that! He's our brother!"

"You can't do anything! But I can," yelled Soron, his lightsaber humming fiercely while his paws emitted blazing auras of light.

"We don't care about your stupid light powers!" shouted Alvin. "If there's a chance to save him, any chance at all, then we have to do it!"

"I need you to be safe!"

"Well, we're coming with you, and that's final!"

Now wasn't the time to debate, thought Soron. Besides, I might need all the help I can get.

"Fine! Let's go!"

Nobody seemed to notice as Frankenstein, Sherlock Holmes, a werewolf, a vampire, a Victorian lady, a teddy bear and a Jedi Knight made a dash for the exit and out into the darkness to save their fallen friend and guardian.

If the power to change the course of tonight's events rested within these seven chipmunks, then surely they had the fate of everyone's destinies in their paws...

* * *

_To Be Continued..._

_Is this the end of our heroic wolf-like chipmunk? Will the Darkness finally take control over him? And will Alvin, Soron and the others save him in time?_

_Your reviews are very much appreciated! Please leave your comments, and I'll see you in the next chapter: the final showdown!_

_Merry Christmas!_

_~ Wind_


	18. Abandon All Hope

_Hey guys! One chapter for you to enjoy before the New Year! How cool is that?_

_My heartfelt thanks goes out to Perry, who has gone all out to write most of this chapter. Seriously Perry, you're the best: you've given me 200% of your contributions, and I can't thank you enough._

_Also, because it's gotten longer than expected; I've had to split the final battle into two parts._

_So, what are you guys waiting for? Happy reading! :)  
_

* * *

**Chapter 18: Abandon All Hope**

The roar of the thunder echoed throughout the pitch-black sky as the sounds of maniacal laughter howled with the wind.

The now-possessed Phelan strode onto the school's football field, feeling the cold, spine-chilling winds encase him as he snapped his paw, where lightning as black as death split the distressed heavens.

"_**Now, you foolish mortals…**_" he growled, raising his paw to the sky. "_**Witness the nature and the true power of the darkness!**_"

When he slammed his paws to the ground, a horrendous sound of crackling thunder emanated from the football field, causing a large shockwave to emit all throughout the town. As the waves touched the street lights or any of the dimly lit houses, the waves would steal their light, leaving nothing but darkness and despair in their path of destruction.

Within seconds, all lights were either destroyed or permanently turned off, leaving baffled citizens to panic as they began flicking their switches in vain and calling their electricians to report their 'power outs'.

All electrical appliances, from TVs to computers, to even a tiny light bulb on an air conditioning unit were permanently turned off by the waves of darkness. The waves then slowly returned to their dark master, who stood proudly on the stage, laughing maniacally as more black lightning screamed through the sky.

Alvin and the others quickly followed Soron in his tracks when suddenly the robed warrior began trashing about in agony as his once crispy brown fur began to turn dark. His hazel eyes began glowing a dirty silver as surges of black electricity shocked him inside out. His screams echoed all throughout the field as the lightning lifted him off the ground. Alvin and the others froze in shock at the screaming chipmunk.

"What's happening to him?" Alvin asked; his eyes were wide and filled with worry. Brittany hugged her boyfriend's arm tightly as she and the others watched the chipmunk in the air being electrocuted above them. Soron's tortured screams were silenced when the wave of dark finally left him as he collapsed to the floor. His body was emitting crisp smells of smoke and burnt fur, as if he was cooked alive.

Simon and Jeanette immediately attended to him. They checked his pulse and breathing for signs of their fallen friend.

"H-how is he?" Theodore mumbled, tightly embracing a trembling Eleanor.

"It looks like that lightning really took a heavy toll on him…" Jeanette noticed Soron's lightsaber lying by his side; the once proud blue light it emitted no longer shined. Soron's eyes were fixed at the ceiling, still growing steady silver as the two smartest munks examined him.

Simon went into panic mode when the robe-clad chipmunk suddenly lost his pulse.

"Soron's not breathing!" he half-yelled, making the others gasp.

"No… that can't be…" Eleanor sobbed, crying on Theodore's arm.

"What a nightmare…" Jeanette whispered, looking away from the now lifeless chipmunk. Tears streamed from her eyes, fogging the vision from her glasses.

The ground began to quake and rattle, causing the chipmunks to huddle together as the magnitude began to increase.

"W-what's going on?" asked Brittany, clutching tightly to Alvin.

Soron's body then began to lift up off the ground again as a white light began to emit from his lifeless form, illuminating the entire field with a silvery glow. The light grew so bright that the chipmunks had to shield their eyes to prevent themselves from being blinded by the light's undying glow.

The waves of light that were now radiating from Soron's body had successfully restored the electricity in the school, giving back that eerie Halloween look. A calm wind then encased the six chipmunks as Soron's lifeless face looked deeply at them in the eyes; his pupils gleaming bright white as his face was deep, serious and sincere.

"Greetings, dear chipmunks…" Soron spoke, the voice was his, but with the echoes of a voice that was more deep, rich and bellowing.

"Soron?" Eleanor asked, shaking nervously, "is that you?"

"This _is_ Soron's body, young chipmunk…" Soron's body replied, looking kindly at her. "I am simply using him as my vessel; as a means to communicate to you." Soron's body smiled gently at them before sighing silently, lost along with the wind.

"What a catastrophe…" he continued, disapproving with a few clicks of his tongue. "I did warn them that things were going to get all bloody. But Soron and Phelan were right – they were. This _is _the only chance they'll get in order to defeat the Darkness…" Soron's body then began mumbling to himself in different languages, leaving the chipmunks bemused at what they were seeing.

"Um, excuse me…" whispered Brittany, bringing Soron's body out of its thoughts as he looked at her warmly.

"What is it, little one?" he asked.

"Um, just who are you?" she inquired shyly, afraid that she might anger him.

"Oh, yes-yes, how silly of me…" he fixed himself straight before landing in front of them.

"My name is Periosha Andrews. I am a Chandra of the Light, and Soron's father…" he gestured to himself, his silver eyes glowing with kindness.

"Um, what's a Chandra?" Theodore asked; his voice barely above a whisper.

"A Chandra is like a representative, or in this case, a messenger…" Periosha replied, his light smile making the chubby chipmunk smile back. "In other words, I was sent from a greater authority from up above."

"Now, to more serious matters…" Periosha closed his eyes, his serious voice now echoing with a deeper brilliance.

"As you know, my son Soron is the current chosen warrior of light, and as such, he has devoted the use of his powers to the service of good." He then looked around as more black lightning crackled through the skies.

"I'm here on a task to return the Light back to this world before the Darkness consumes it all and returns your homes and everything you cherish back into its former chaotic state of nothingness."

"But how can you do that?" Simon asked, raising an eyebrow at the silver-eyed chipmunk. "You don't even have a physical body… are you going to use Soron's?"

"Ha! Sometimes, what science proves to you in facts, doen't mean it cannot be done without plain sight!" Periosha chuckled lightly. "Which brings me as to why I was brought here. Soron's body is not dead, just in need of some patching up, that's all…"

"Um, Mr. Andrews…" Eleanor whispered, catching the attention of the silver-eyed chipmunk. "What happened to you? I mean, Soron told us that Phelan killed you and the rest of his family. We would just like to know if… well… if it was…"

"If it was true?" Periosha finished for her, looking serious at her. Eleanor nodded shyly in response, making the chipmunk sigh deeply as he closed his eyes.

"Unfortunately, yes… it's all true." His authority rang strong and deep in his sorrowful voice, making the chipmunks gasp in horror.

"But it wasn't Phelan…" he continued. "The real culprit – was the Darkness."

"W-what happened?" Brittany asked, curiosity gnawing at her tail.

"Very well…" the chipmunk complied, "I shall tell you my tale…"

* * *

_It was over four years ago when that catastrophe occurred. Before then, we lived out a quiet and peaceful life, flourishing off nature's blessings and whatever she gave us. I had a beautiful wife, Sally, and our only son, Soron._

_With my wife and Soron, we were a rather small family of wild chipmunks. But we were also part of a rather large pack that was well secluded and hidden amongst the tall pines and oaks of the forest. Soron was the strongest among our warriors as he grew well with the wisdom of the forest: "If you're strong you live, if you're weak, you die."_

"That's what Soron told us when he first met us!" Theodore exclaimed.

Alvin shushed his brother, and gestured at the possessed Soron to continue.

_Going back, Soron was a fast learner. He always had this drive in him that made him nearly impossible to beat when it comes to combat. Heck, when I dueled with him, he beat me in three minutes flat! And that was with nothing but our bare paws!_

_One day, a terrible storm passed, and we were forced into our shelters, hoping that the cruel weather would soon pass._

"_There's someone out there, father…" I remember him say… his voice was sure yet afraid._

"_We can't help him, Soron…" I replied, "It's far too dangerous…"_

"_But we just can't leave them out there!" he protested. He looked at me with stern eyes as his fear for them struck a chord in my heart._

"_Please, dear…" I remember my wife cooing me, "Give him a chance…"_

_I clenched my fists in defeat as I finally nodded in agreement, making his hazel brown eyes shimmer from the light of the fireplace._

"_But no more than an hour!" I exclaimed, "If you go past an hour, with or without anyone in tow you head right on home, understand?"_

"_Yes, Dad." _

_I watched as he made his way out the door and into the terrible storm. _

_We waited for what seemed like an eternity for him, holding our paws together as we heard the thunder crackle, with lightning splitting the sky. An hour almost passed when the door suddenly opened, revealing our son and another chipmunk on his shoulders. His face was filled with worry as he dragged the chipmunk into our home._

_"Mom! Dad! Come quickly! I need your help!" he cried. Poor Soron was a shivering wreck from the cold, and the chipmunk he brought with him was out like a light._

_We brought the two of them near the fire and covered them with warm blankets. Sally kissed her son's forehead with a smile as we all looked at the chipmunk huddling quietly on the carpet, being warmed by the fire._

_When he awoke, he was downright frightened, he was. He was quivering with fear, only to be comforted by my son's warm embrace._

_"Hey, it's okay... we're here to help you..." he cooed, trying to comfort the troubled chipmunk._

_"Darkness... everywhere... couldn't... escape..." the chipmunk mumbled, his feral mahogany fur nuzzling against Soron's cheek._

_"Darkness won't harm you here, my friend..." he whispered in his ear, holding him tighter. "I will protect you... _we_ will protect you... with the light of love..."_

_"Who are you?" he asked, his forest green eyes sparkling with the fire's warmth._

_"Soron, and you are?" my son asked, a gleeful smile on his face._

_"P-Phelan..." he replied, smiling back._

_From then on, they became the best of friends.  
_

* * *

Before Periosha could continue, his ears perked up, as if he detected something in the area.

"The Lord of Light would like to have a word with you lot on how to defeat The Darkness…" he looked at them sternly before closing his eyes, and slowly Soron's body began to ascend.

As he was being lifted, the entire area was covered by a billowing presence as it was filled with warmth. Soron tilted his head toward the sky as his eyes opened again, this time shimmering heavenly white instead of the usual silver.

His face then looked at them from the sky, his smile now warmer and more serene.

"Greetings, chipmunks…" the voice echoed, it was soft, gentle and… feminine?

"What the-?" Alvin gaped, his eyes wider than marbles.

"The Lord of the Light – is a Lady?" Jeanette continued, adjusting the lavender glasses on the bridge of her nose.

"Actually, it is possible for a body to be willingly possessed by more than one spirit, if the host knows that it brings good will. But you're right, that's definitely messed up…" Simon finished, staring blankly at the floating body above them, leaving Brittany and the two youngest chipmunks to nod in shocked agreement.

"Is there a problem, young ones?" the feminine voice echoed, raising an eyebrow.

"Uh, no…" Brittany replied, on behalf of the others. "I-it's just that… knowing Soron, he's a very macho guy… but we-… we just got a little taken back when you started speaking, uh – Mam…"

"I see…" the voice replied, giggling as lightly as a nightingale. "You must have grown accustomed to my beloved servant. It was a shame that such a tragedy befell him."

Theodore looked worried at the floating body of Soron.

"I-is he going to be okay?" he asked nervously, making the white-eyed chipmunk look at him with a gentle face.

"Yes, my dear Theodore." She cooed, smiling lightly. "Our young Soron only needs rest. He has sustained heavy damage, but that will never burn out his will. In fact, it was because of his 'flame' that I took interest in him when the Darkness murdered his family."

"How do you know my name?" he asked.

"Sweet child," she replied, "I am the Light. I know all who are under my wings, and since all of you have done no true evil, I know you by name as I do by heart."

"What about Phelan?" Simon asked, "is he in the light too?"

The Light dropped her smile for a moment before sighing faintly, a small frown forming on the corner of her face.

"His heart is at the right place," she spoke, as serenely as she could, "but his soul is far too tainted by the Darkness... I cannot do anything to save him."

The six chipmunks then looked at the floor sadly. Was their greatest friend and protector forever condemned to spend his misery as a pawn of the dark?

"Periosha said you wanted to talk to us on how to beat the Darkness... but how can we do it?" Alvin spoke up, breaking the momentary silence.

"You would already know the answer," the Light smiled at them. "After all, you've done it before, am I correct?"

"I don't see your point..." Simon replied, putting his paw on his chin until his eyes went wide.

"Wait a minute!" he cried out, calling the attention of the others.

"What is it, Simon?" Jeanette asked, holding onto the bespectacled chipmunk's arm.

"Remember what happened to Phelan's dark half when he was exposed to all that light the last time Phelan fought him in the gym?"

"Yeah..." Eleanor chimed in from behind, "the light did a lot of damage to it..."

"Precisely, young ones... " the Light complemented, giving them a smile. "The Darkness's only weakness is the thing it fears most – the power of the Light."

"But how can we use the lights?" Jeanette asked, a little nervous. "The Darkness took out the power over the entire town. What will we do to get it back?"

"Worry not, little chipette..." the Light assured, "_I_ will personally see to it that this area will be prepared with the light you require." She then felt Soron's body relax as she began to whimper in exhaustion.

"He is about to awaken. I will leave the rest up to you, my dear chipmunks. You have my blessings," The Light, via Soron, kissed the top of Theodore's forehead, making the chubby chipmunk blush and back away slightly.

"That is for the fear you have in your heart, little one. Let it not trouble you."

Her angelic voice was audible only to Theodore as a white mist encased Soron's body, covering it completely. When the mist subsided, Soron was clad in brilliant silver armor, with metallic padding on his shoulders, elbows and knees; a large two-handed sword on his back with a quiver next to it as he descended back to the ground, landing on his feet.

Groggy, Soron opened his now flaring silver eyes, looking bemused and totally oblivious to what had occurred.

"Why are you all looking at me that way? What happened?" he asked wearily.

Simon was about to answer when black lightning began to crackle from the sky once more. This time, the sound seemed closer and more powerful than the previous blasts.

"We'll explain later. Right now, we have to face the Darkness and lead him back here to the gym where we can beat him," Simon spoke to the silver clad chipmunk.

* * *

As they crossed over to the wide and open clearing, they could see Phelan, who had returned to his normal self, stumble towards them. His body was bruised and he looked as though he'd seen worser days than this.

"Phelan!" Alvin cried out. "Are you okay?"

Before any of them could get any closer, Phelan raised a paw, and the seven chipmunks stopped in their tracks.

In the remaining few seconds that Phelan remembered of himself, he managed a weak smile while his last words were nothing more than a faint whisper.

"Don't let him take over you..."

Without warning, he was lifted by an invisible hand into the air. Phelan just stood there with his face blank of expression, hanging in the balance between heaven and earth.

Then he opened his mouth – and began to scream.

Brittany shuddered as she held on tightly to Alvin.

Dark tendrils shot out from his body and wrapped themselves all over the wolf-like chipmunk, forming some sort of grotesque cocoon.

They could still hear Phelan's muffled screams of being tortured from beneath the tendrils, then slowly, they dimmed away into fearful whimpers.

Then, nothing.

The tendrils grew longer and thicker – and they elongated themselves into wings, dark and feathery as a raven's.

The wings burst open, and true form of the Darkness towered right before them.

"_**Do you see what has become of your friend, your protector?"**_ the dark chipmunk taunted as he looked down upon the chipmunks who looked so inferior in his very presence.

"_**The once pure has now fallen beyond redemption! The incorruptible has become tainted! What was glorious and mighty has now succumbed to my temptations! And all because this was his very own doing! So much for brotherly love? Hah!"**_ As he scoffed, a bit of drool spat from his gleaming fangs and landed on the ground. The black glob hissed as it ate its way into the soil, before dissolving into nothing but a wisp of smoke.

Someone caught his attention, and he lowered himself onto solid ground as his opponent strode towards him. It was just the two of them in an all-out showdown.

_"Greetings, sun-bearer,"_ he whispered, his smile baring Phelan's fangs as he emitted light growls, lashing his tail furiously like a hungry wolf at his prey.

"Long time no see, murderer…" Soron hissed, gritting his teeth as he placed and tightened his grip on the sword behind him. His hazel eyes already beginning to glow a fiery silver as they exchanged hateful glances at each other.

"_You cannot defeat me…_" The Darkness scoffed, mocking the silver clad chipmunk. _**"Look at yourself. You would not risk destroying the body of your friend, now would you?"**_

Soron cursed under his breath as he drew his sword. It began to change form into his lightsaber, the blade now glowing its bright azure-blue light as he bared his teeth and growled angrily at the ominous evil standing in front of him.

"I once considered him as a brother, but thanks to you…" he flared, light beginning to erupt from his body.

He shifted his legs and bent his knees, ready to pounce. The dark chipmunk could only laugh as he formed a long midnight black long sword from his paw.

"I had to _hate_ him!" Soron roared as their blades clashed. Soron managed to parry an incoming blow from the dark chipmunk, showing his clear physical prowess over Phelan's as he executed a double-take from behind him and landed a full uppercut swing on the chipmunk's right shoulder. The dark chipmunk quickly backed away from the attacking chipmunk's blade, covering his struck shoulder with one of his paws.

**_"Impressive,"_ **he uttered, looking at him with a sly smile on his face. **_"So this is your revenge for what I had my vessel done to your pathetic tribe? Ha! What a laugh!"_**

The Darkness then suddenly came at him from behind, his blade humming eerily across the night sky as they blades sang when they collided. Every time their blades clanged, more of Soron's suppressed memories of his dark past began to burst free and haunt him…

Every single fibre of his well-being became closer and closer to the grasp of the Darkness… to hatred, pain and absolute anger as the memories began to flood.

Soron remembered it well, as though it had only happened yesterday...

* * *

_I had just returned from my weekly hunt in search for nuts and berries to feed my family. Phelan and I had grown to be good friends and rivals ever since I rescued him. It's been over two years since that fateful day, and I don't think we've ever been so competitive over each other. I treated and loved him like the brother I never had. Sure, he was not related to me by blood, but I loved him regardless. We grew quite close, and we were chosen in pairs in nearly every activity the tribe would have us do._

_This time it was going to be Phelan's turn to go out hunting, so I hurriedly scurried back to the tribe to show off the large sack of fresh harvest I collected after spending about over a week gathering them._

_I got to the village entrance late in the evening, but the sentry wasn't there to greet me. I knew immediately that something was wrong. I sniffed the air for anything suspicious, and my eyes went wide when I inhaled the familiar scents of blood and smoke into my nostrils._

_I dropped the sack of food and dashed to the tribe's main square, only to gape in horror at what I saw. All the trees were burning at the top. Smoke covered my eyes and made my breathing difficult. I began climbing to my parent's tree, hoping to see signs that they at least escaped this tragedy. As I climbed, I felt streams of blood trickle down the tree leading to my home._

_'No! No... please let Mother, Father and Phelan be alright…' I thought to myself as I ascended._

_When I reached the top, I gaped in shock when I saw my home, or what's left of it anyway. The entire house was blasted apart from the inside out, and a lowly howl from a feral beast emitted from inside the house. Nervous, I slowly walked into the house, using a leaf to cover my nose and mouth to prevent the smoke from suffocating me. I reached the den and nearly screamed in horror when I stared at the sight in front of me._

_There, on the carpet where I laid my dear 'brother', stood Phelan, with his fangs bared and his claws dripping with blood. He stood ferociously over the corpses of my parents, who looked as if they were clawed to death by a savage beast. I looked at Phelan, whose eyes were no longer their friendly forest green. He stared at me directly, making our eyes meet. His eyes were now as black as death that surrounded him, filled with hatred and darkness as bleak as the night sky. He growled angrily as he prepared to attack me._

_"P –Phelan?" I quivered, slowly backing away in fear. "I-it's me… S – Soron…"_

_But my words did not touch his ears as he edged closer to me._

_"Brother… you have to remember me… I'm your brother, remember?" I pleaded, almost on the verge of tears._

_For a while, Phelan's actions stopped, and he stood normally when I mumbled the word "brother". It seemed to affect him to some extent._

_"S – Soron?" he mumbled, his eyes returning to their original forest green color._

_"Phelan!" I half-yelled, tears brimming in my eyes as I wrapped my arms around him. For a while I had my brother back._

_But that was where I committed the biggest mistake of my life._

_Phelan returned the hug, and began to kiss my neck slightly, making me gasp in surprise as I tried to break free from his grip, but to no avail._

_"I love you… brother…" was all I remember him whispering into my ear as he bit down onto my neck before running his blood stained claws through my chest. _

_I couldn't scream in pain for my throat was held firmly in the grasp of his teeth; his tongue lapping up the streams of blood that flowed hot like my betrayed fury. He then let go of me before using an abnormal force to push me out of the house and I plummeted to the ground below. _

_I slammed hard against the stony dirt floor as I gazed up into the sky, my vision dimming as I heard maniacal laughter fill the air. _

_Right before I closed my eyes, I felt something warm and light encase me before my vision fell before the darkness...  
_

* * *

To Be Continued...

_And that concludes the first half of the final stand between the agents of the Light and the Darkness._

___Who will prevail? What's to become of all our favourite chipmunks?_

_____I'll get the next chapter up as soon as I can, but in the meantime, please read and review! :)_

~ Wind


	19. The Last Stand

_Hey guys, Happy New Year! :)_

_And have I got a treat for you - the battle to end all things in The Darkness Comes. Or is it? (snickers) ;)_

_Anyway, hope you're all having a great time and happy reading! :D  
_

* * *

**Chapter 19: The Last Stand**

Soron quickly rushed at the dark chipmunk with tears in his eyes as he roared in anger, slashing and swinging his lightsaber in every direction. The Darkness threw back his head and laughed, knowing that he had succeeded in angering the light-blessed chipmunk.

"How dare you turn me against my own brother!" Soron yelled at the top of his lungs, lunging toward the Darkness with his lightsaber on his left paw, an orb of light in his right. Their swords clashed furiously as they quickened their feet, moving at speeds faster than the human eye could see. The chipmunks had a difficult time keeping up with the fight; they could barely see in the darkness, and the only thing they could hear was the constant and loud clanging of blades, with sparks flying whenever the swords sang.

Soron managed to push the dark chipmunk off the stage, using him as a ledge as he leapt above him, his light orb now brimming brightly over the black tainted horizon.

"This is for Phelan!" he roared, throwing it down toward the evil below as it collided with a large explosion. Soron managed to flip out of the way back to the edge of the stage as he panted heavily. When the smoke cleared, his eyes went wide with shock as he panted, staring back at the now bloodshot-red eyes of the Darkness.

The dark chipmunk tensed his back as his wings sprouted into existence. Feathery and a combination of purple and black, like a fallen angel from the pits of the abyss itself, the tips were razor sharp with pointed barbs, and one prick from those wings could spell disaster.

The wings managed to protect him from any damage the orb caused him, and he quickly took flight far above the silver clad chipmunk, quickly forming waves of hellfire with every beat of his wings. Soron charged up another orb of light into his paw as he dodged wave upon wave of the Darkness's attacks. He somersaulted to the side as he threw the orb at him, this time it shattered mid-flight into dozens of small lance tipped rockets, while he evaded the hellfire and colliding with the dark chipmunk.

The Darkness merely spread his wings once again as they prevailed in protecting him, clearing the smoke and launching yet another wave of black flames toward the silver armoured chipmunk, knocking the wind clear out of Soron and smashing him against the nearby bleachers.

**_"Resistance is futile against my will, whelp. You are no match against the forces of darkness!"_** he laughed, mocking Soron as he struggled to stand. Just when he was about to sit up, the Darkness swooped down and slammed his fist hard on Soron's stomach, forcing to spew out blood as the two warriors fell down the bleachers.

The Darkness was the first to touch the ground on his feet, ready to catch Soron as he began pummeling him with a flurry of fists and claws, scratching him and nearly breaking every single bone in his body, laughing maniacally as he continued pulverizing him.

**_"What's the matter, Soron?"_ **he cackled, driving another hard fist at the chipmunk's face. **_"Is this all that The Light could offer her great champion? You sicken me! What a pity to see such weaklings!"_** The Darkness then grabbed Soron's right arm, clutching it tightly with his claws making it bleed as he threw the helpless chipmunk across the field and into another set of bleachers, this time near the entrance to the gymnasium.

Soron struggled to get up from the debris that surrounded him. He coughed out more blood when he flexed his chest, his entire body tingling with pain as he began sobbing in agony.

"Soron!" Jeanette half- shouted, seeing the desecrated chipmunk lying in front of them. The chipmunks and chipettes hid in the bleachers next to where Soron landed, watching the horrible battle from the safety of the shadows. Their trap was now set for the torrent of evil that had taken over their friend and brother.

"Soron, you have to get up!" the bespectacled chipette screamed, crawling next to him, trying to wake him up. The Darkness slowly hovered above them, an orb of shadows forming in his paws. Distressed, Jeanette gently shook the unconscious chipmunk, trying to get him moving.

**_"Time's up, impudent rats!"_ **the Darkness boomed, his voice crackling with delight. **_"Time to meet your ancestors in the afterlife!" _**He then raised his paws above him, letting the orb increase in size as it began creating a black hole in its centre, absorbing the darkness that surrounded it. The dark chipmunk laughed manically before lowering his arm at the chipmunks that lay before him.

But before he could release and fire, he felt something hard ram into him, causing him to lose his concentration on the orb as he slammed hard to the ground. Jeanette squealed in shock when she saw who was crazy enough to pull a stunt like that.

"Simon!" she cried, tears beginning to form in his eyes.

The bespectacled munk looked at the Darkness with a nervous glare, but stood his ground. His brown plaid coat fluttered with pride in the wind.

"Stay away from my friend!" he yelled angrily, clenching his paws together into tight fists.

The Darkness slowly recovered from the impact, cracking his neck as he wiped the blood on the side of his mouth. He looked at Simon with a devilish grin; then he clenched his fist and spawned a tendril from below him, grabbing Simon with ease and lifting him up in the air, tightening his grip around the bespectacled chipmunk mercilessly.

**_"I must admit that ____did__ hurt, rodent…"_ **the Darkness bellowed, tightening his grip even further. **_"Allow me to repay you… in kind."_**

Black lightning began to form around the dark chipmunk, running through his claws, aiming it at Simon, who was being held helpless against the dark tendril. Before the lightning struck, a blinding white bolt severed the tendril, releasing Simon and quickly carried him to the ground. The lightning immediately flew toward the Darkness, only to be deflected by his own black electrical fury.

**_"Impressive…"_ **He chuckled, closing his eyes as he smiled devilishly. **_"I'm surprised you're still alive, whelp."_**

Simon couldn't believe what he was hearing. He looked at the bleachers to find a standing Soron, his paw raised up high and flowing with white electricity. He cursed in the wind as his bolt was deflected, and fell to his knees as his body became heavy again.

"I will…" he groaned between heavy gasps, "never… surrender…"

The Darkness laughed maniacally at his statement, making blacker lightning crackle through the heavens as his voice echoed through the sky.

**_"Fool! You cannot defeat me! Do you not know who I am? I am ____the__ Darkness, the same darkness that runs in every creature's soul! I know your tricks! Every single one of them formed within my very hatred! How can you expect to beat me?"_**

He raised both his paws, channelling all the power he could muster into his body. Soron knew what was going to happen next. His eyes went wide as he gripped Jeanette by the sleeve of her dress.

"Quick! We've got to get out of here!" his voice was quick with sheer panic.

"Why?" she asked, feeling scared. "What's wrong?"

"I'll explain later! Right now, we need to get you and the others to shelter!" Soron then limped his way off the broken debris, with Jeanette on his shoulders as he leapt toward the others.

"Soron, what's going on?" Brittany asked, looking concerned.

"No time to explain, Britt…" Soron quickly replied, "Everybody, into the gym! Now!"

"What about Simon?" Eleanor squeaked, pointing at the blue-clad bespectacled chipmunk. Simon stared at the Darkness fearfully, too scared to move a single inch as the black-clad chipmunk began chanting certain words to himself, barely audible for Simon to hear.

"Oh dammit, Simon!" Soron cursed. "You guys go on ahead, I'll get Simon!"

"We're not leaving you alone-" Alvin tried to butt in when Soron grabbed him by the collar.

"Just trust me, Alvin!" Soron shouted, making Alvin freeze in shock.

Soron quickly left in his attempt to rescue Simon. The winds began to pick up as Soron's body began to cave, every inch of his body beginning to shiver from the cold, his muscles rattling from the blows he received.

He looked up to the starless sky as he heard the Darkness's evil laughter echo. His spell was complete, and Simon was still vulnerable to it.

"Simon!" Soron cried, his body beginning to glow metallic silver. His body was crying out silently, etched in pain as he forced his already broken body to move.

**_"Now, feel my wrath!"_ **the Darkness roared as he threw the enchanted orb to the frightened chipmunk. Simon yelled at the top of his lungs, covering his eyes with his paws as the orb flew right toward him. Everything went quiet when a sudden burst of white light pierced through the darkness.

Fearful for himself, Simon uncovered his eyes to see a sprinting Soron carrying him out of harm's way.

"You alright?" he asked, his voice echoing the brilliance of his silvery aura. Simon could only stare at the chipmunk's glowing face, despite the claw marks and bruises covering it, his face still had that warmth that any brother would have toward his siblings.

"Hang on tightly if you want to survive…" he whispered, cutting Simon's stare. Hesitantly, the bespectacled chipmunk wrapped his arms around the sprinting chipmunk's body as an implosion of dark force began chasing after them.

**_"You will never escape my wrath, whelps!"_ **the Darkness bellowed, grinning.

They were meters away from the gym's entrance when the waves were only inches away from Soron's tail.

"We'll never make it!" Simon cried, tightening his lock on Soron.

The silver clad chipmunk closed his eyes as his body began to illuminate. He began chanting to himself in the same language as the Darkness used. Once he finished, Soron's legs began running at twice the speed, almost breaking the sound barrier as they rushed into the gym's doors, slamming it shut to prevent the waves from entering.

Soron gently put Simon down on to the floor, making him stand as the chipmunks ran toward them.

"Simon!" Jeanette squealed as she wrung her arms around her boyfriend's neck, kissing his lips as her tears began leaking from her eyes. The two smartest chipmunks shared a moment of passion before the others joined them for a group hug, causing the couple to pull apart.

"We were so worried about you!" Eleanor chirped, lightly punching the chipmunk on the arm.

"I'm fine, guys…" he mumbled, regaining his composure. He smiled lightly before hugging his brothers and friends.

Soron smiled at the warm sight before he groaned, his body finally giving way to the abuse of his powers over his worn and beaten body.

Alvin easily caught the silver clad chipmunk, easing him down to the floor.

"Take it easy there, Soron…" he gently spoke, "you're gonna be okay."

Soron felt his body become heavy as the thunderous presence of the Darkness inched ominously towards them.

"He's coming for us…" he mumbled, "Alvin… he's too strong… all is lost now." He began sobbing lightly, tears streaking from his silver eyes. Alvin sighed heavily before putting a paw on the grieving chipmunk's shoulder.

"I'll fight for you…" he spoke, making Brittany gasp.

"No, Alvin!" she yelled, grabbing her boyfriend's tattered jacket. "You'll get killed!"

"Not necessarily…" Soron whispered; his voice now raspy and weak.

"What do you mean?" Theodore asked, covering his mouth with his paws, concealing his troubled breathing.

"What I mean is…" Soron replied, wincing in pain before continuing, "I can give Alvin a chance to temporarily fight off the Darkness until we spring the trap-"

"Absolutely not!" Brittany snapped, her voice having a little venom in it. "Do you have any idea what kind of damage that THING did to you? Now, you're willing to sacrifice Alvin? You have powers, he doesn't! He's gonna get killed with just one shot from that-"

But Brittany's sentence was left hanging as Alvin pulled her into a long passionate kiss. Brittany instantly melted into Alvin's arms that wrapped around her waist as they kissed, tears leaking from her eyes as they held onto each other.

When they broke off, Brittany hugged Alvin tightly, sobbing in his tattered costume.

"All I'm saying is…" she whispered between sobs, "I don't want to lose you… not again."

"It's okay, babe," he cooed, fixing her hair with his paw. "You won't lose me, I promise."

"And I didn't finish…" interrupted Soron from the floor, his breathing uneasy and erratic.

"S-sorry," Brittany replied, wiping the rest of her tears. "What is it you wanted to say?"

Soron sighed heavily before continuing.

"I can give Alvin a portion of my powers," he spoke, his voice still and soft. "That way, he could have a better chance against the Darkness when he arrives."

"You can do that?" Eleanor cut in, wiping Soron's forehead with a gym towel, removing whatever stains of blood and wounds he had.

"Yes, but it would only last temporarily. So Alvin, you need to act quickly if you want to defeat that thing."

Alvin looked nervously at the five other chipmunks before him. This was the only means they had left to save the world from an eternity of darkness – their final playing card. Victory was so close to them that they could nearly taste it. But the costs were too high, the game was too risky… lives were now hanging in the balance.

He took a deep sigh, fixing his mind to his decision. He loosened his grip on his girlfriend, and looked at his siblings. Simon and Theodore nervously nodded a silent 'yes' at him, giving him their votes. He then looked at the two chipettes, who also nodded in agreement. Finally, he looked at Brittany, the girl he loved the most. Tear-struck and nearly broken, she nodded her head in agreement, making Alvin's decision final.

"Alright, Soron…" he spoke, his voice with determination and willingness. "Let's do this…"

* * *

Soron painfully stood up, his height hovering over the smaller chipmunk as he placed his paws on the sides of his head as he began speaking in an alien language.

"Em nome da Luz, eu passo para você ... minha vontade, minha força, eo meu espírito ..." he chanted before kissing the top of Alvin's forehead as tendrils of light began encasing him, lifting the chipmunk off the ground, covering him completely as Soron continued his chant, his eyes now glowing bright white.

"Que o meu será o teu escudo ... meu poder de sua espada ... eo meu espírito o seu guia ..."

With the last of his chants completed, the light erupted around Alvin, who was no longer in his Frankenstein costume, but stood proudly in a bright suit of armour similar to Soron's; only, unlike the silver clad chipmunk's, Alvin's armour was glowing brightly with his signature colour of red. When he opened his eyes, his eyes also glowed the same red as a bright flame encircled him.

When he touched the ground, a bright flame circled his feet, making it look like an aura surrounded him.

"Wow…" He awed, examining himself. "What happened to me?"

"I've given you my will, Alvin…" Soron replied, wincing in pain. "What my heart held dearly for so long created a flame so large inside my heart that it can destroy any form of Darkness… and now I'm surrendering it all to you…"

Alvin's face grimaced as he looked at the tired expression of the silver clad chipmunk as Soron fell back down to the ground, a small smile stamped on his face.

"This beats playing video games any time!" Alvin exclaimed, feeling Soron's will burn throughout his veins.

"I know you'd decide to take one for the team, Alvin…" Soron replied, closing his tired eyes.

"But why?"

"Because I've lost the will to defeat my own brother…" Soron sighed, shedding his tears freely as he smiled looking at the ceiling lights.

"I can't go on anymore, Alvin…" he uttered between sobs. "You'll have to continue this fight… for the sake of your brother, and for the sake of the world.

* * *

The gym doors flung open with sudden force, and the Darkness walked proudly into the hall; his black wings spread wide as he left a trail of burning footprints on the floor with every step.

**_"No more hiding, you pathetic rats! This game is over!"_** he boomed. **_"All I need to do now is to eliminate you pests and bring this world to its knees!"_**

Eleanor brought Theodore and the two bespectacled chipmunks into a mini huddle as they discussed the trap they've set up.

"Okay, guys…" she whispered, she took one last look at the dark being in front of them before taking gulping down the lump that formed in her throat.

"Let's do this…"

With that, the chipmunks dashed to the back stage. The Darkness easily caught sight of them and aimed a sphere of hellfire at them.

**_"Where the hell do you think you're going?"_ **he yelled, throwing the sphere at them. They panicked and tensed in place as the sphere came at them, only to be blocked by a wall of bright red flames.

"Alvin!" they cheered happily, seeing the eldest chipmunk come to their protection. He motioned his arm in circular motion, transforming the wall of flame into a spear and hurled it the dark chipmunk. The Darkness scoffed as he deflected it with a mere swipe of his paw.

Alvin stood proudly in front of the dark chipmunk. His paw was now holding an orb of fire in his palm.

"I don't care who you are, but nobody harms my brothers and friends! You've done enough damage to us already, time for some payback!" He growled low as he formed flames on his fists.

The Darkness, not intimidated by Alvin's posture, responded by erecting a pair of black twin swords from his paws, and stood in the exact same battle stance as Phelan did, making Alvin and Soron gasp in shock.

**_"This stance is familiar to you, correct?"_** he laughed mockingly, making Alvin grit his teeth and Soron curse under his breath.

With a single roar, both able warriors charged at each other, Alvin's fist banging hard against the Darkness's blades. With every clash, Alvin ended up with gashes and cuts all over his body, while the Darkness suffered only minor bruises or burns on his fur.

They battled ferociously for what seemed an eternity. Both warriors trying to best each other. Alvin, close to the brink of exhaustion, stood angrily in defence against the Darkness. He panted with frustration as the dark chipmunk in front of him seemed to have taken nearly no damage at all.

**_"Tired already, rodent?" _**he laughed, readying his blades as he poised in position, ever ready to strike.

Alvin cursed under his breath as the dark chipmunk's wings flared another wave of hellfire, forcing Alvin to erect a wall of flame around him, defending his weakened form against the violent black flames. The Darkness then appeared behind him, now standing above a white "X" that was marked on the floor. Alvin sensed his presence as he blocked the Darkness's blade with his burning palm, locking him in place.

"Simon, Jeanette, NOW!" he yelled out loud, his voice echoing throughout the gymnasium, the tone resonating out the brilliance of his crimson red aura.

**_"I cannot be stopped!"_ **he roared, **_"Even if I am one and you are many! I will never be undermined by a bunch of rodents such as yourselves! I-"_**

But his sentence was cut short when several dozen bright lights shined directly at him, making him roar in agony as the lights began to burn his fur.

"_**What treachery is this? It hurts! You cheat – you're all cheating! Make it stop!"**_

Backstage, Simon and Jeanette kept pulling at different light levers that, previously, have been set to shine on the spot where The Darkness was currently standing. All the while, Theodore and Eleanor would activate the two spotlights hanging directly above the dark chipmunk, making the burns grow worse as he let out an ear-shattering screech. Everyone covered their ears as the screeches continued, making them vulnerable to attack. The Darkness readied a single dark blade from his paw and swung at Alvin.

**_"I can never be DEFEATED!"_ **he yelled, swinging his blade. Time slowed as the blade inched its way to Alvin, when suddenly a loud roar erupted across the gymnasium as a bright flash of silver descended from the sky.

Soron quickly parried the dark chipmunk's blade, disarming him, and side-stepped to the right, avoiding a wave of hellfire as he leapt up to the air, and drove his lightsaber through The Darkness's chest, earning a new found level of his screeching in sheer agony as the blade burned right through him. As Soron began chanting, his aura began flaring as four silver wings sprouted from his back.

"In nomine lucis Exorcizo Te, daemon! Tu rediturumultra mundi!"

A white seal then appeared below them, circling as white lightning crackled from it. Soron's eyes now glowing heavenly white as his wings extended, shadowing the vile creature below him as he chanted the final verses of his spell.

"Domina potens lucis VOBISCUM servusfidelissimus. Doce te esse domina, malum frangatqui ante me stat..."

The seal then transformed into a white sword made entirely of energy as it rested on Soron's paws.

"This is the end for you… demon…" Soron muttered, closing his eyes in meditation.

The shadows that once encased the town had begun to vanish as Soron lifted his blade up to the heavens.

"MAGNUS…" he chanted softly as he bashed the dark chipmunk's body with the hilt of his blade, pushing him forward with tremendous force. He then reappeared in front of him and did an uppercut slash, sending him upwards. When The Darkness began to fall, Soron threw his sword upward, screaming out the final chant in his spell…

"EXORCISMUS!"

* * *

The blade ran smoothly through the Darkness's body.

"I'm sorry, Phelan," whispered Soron through his tears.

The force of the attack came into full circle, and the Darkness unleashed a scream that shook the very ground.

The wings unfolded once more and covered him, in a futile attempt to heal his wounds, but the damage had been done.

Like a layer of oil on a watery surface, the darkness of the chipmunk's fur began to slip out of its original host and fade into nothingness. The wings shuddered as they wilted away, feathers falling like gentle rain.

And at last, the face of Phelan was revealed to be at peace and happiness as he smiled at his best friend and murderer.

"Thank you Soron, for freeing me..."

The wolf-like chipmunk sighed and closed his eyes for the last time as he fell to the floor.

* * *

The shadows had vanished from the entire school, as well as the rest of the town. All the light had slowly begun returning to the many street torches and homes as a wave of peace echoed throughout the town.

"The deed is done…" Soron sobbed, his head feeling light. "Phelan… your plan worked after all."

Soron then collapsed next to Phelan's body as the last of The Darkness escaped from his now lifeless body.

"Phelan!"

Alvin and the others ran towards Soron, their eyes widened with shock as they saw their fallen comrade.

"He's... he's not, is he?" Alvin was the first to speak. His armour had vanished like a dying flame and his eyes had returned to its regular brown.

"I'm afraid he is." Soron pressed himself into Phelan's body and licked the wolf-like chipmunk's wounds, in a gentle attempt to do what he could in respect for a good friend.

The tears came, and they came hard and stinging. Alvin tried to be strong for his brothers, but he too could not stop crying for the brother who sacrificed everything for him.

Brittany felt the guilt of making him feel like he was truly loved, and she buried herself into Alvin's arms, sobbing loudly.

"He must've known what he was doing, wasn't he?" Simon whispered.

Soron reached over and removed Phelan's phantom mask, where it looked as though he was sleeping in peace.

"Yeah, he did."

All they could do in their sorrow right now was to be there for their siblings and friends as they looked tearfully at the wolf-like chipmunk's body.

Phelan Seville, the right paw of the Darkness, friend, protector and hero, was now dead…

* * *

_To Be Continued..._

What? There's still more?

Yes, you heard me right. It's not the end of the story yet! ;)

"But Phelan's dead! And so is the Darkness!" I hear you cry out.

Well, things aren't over yet. If I wanted to end it this way, I would've put Tragedy as my main genre, now wouldn't I?

See you in the next chapter! Or could it be the last? Until then, leave your reviews, please! ;)

~ Wind


	20. Shattered Body, Everlasting Mind

_Greetings again, fellow readers, and let me say - I AM SO SORRY for keeping you guys waiting!_

_I'm really thankful to all those PMs asking me what had become of Phelan and this story - you know who you guys are, wink wink - it's been driving me to keep on writing, even when I'm caught up with work and other projects._

_The other reason I'm a little slow behind time is because I was working on this with Perry - if you're reading this, buddy, you're still the best co-writer I ever worked with. _

_If this looks a little too short, it's because I am once again compelled to cut down on chapter length and split it further. But hey, that's still good, right? You get more chapters to read! ;)_

_Anyway, back to the main event - and let's see if Phelan lives to tell his tale! Enjoy!  
_

* * *

**Chapter 20: Shattered Body, Everlasting Mind**

Phelan slowly awoke to his senses, but the pain he felt did not truly belong to him; it was as though someone had taken over his body and mind to fight a huge battle in his place. He blinked his eyes as the blurriness in his vision came back into proper shapes and distance.

The first thing he saw around him was darkness, and his half-conscious mind blurted out the first thing that came straight to his thoughts.

"Am I dead?"

It was just him and the circular platform he found himself upon, but beyond that were the stars, the empty skies and the void of complete nothingness that stretched into the beyond.

This was not exactly the afterlife as Phelan pictured it, but someone's consciousness had invaded _the world of his dreams_.

Someone, with a deep sinking feeling of dread, that Phelan knew all too well.

His whole body was bruised and stiff, but no matter how hard he stretched, the numbness that crept through his arms and legs would not go away.

Then he looked down at his feet and saw why.

Phelan was standing in between a pair of columns that stood tall and proud like watchful sentinels in the middle of the platform. He couldn't go anywhere, because he was furious to find out that he was chained to the columns. His arms were held outstretched and taut by manacles that wound their chains around like clinging metallic vines. His feet were shackled too, so he could not jump or move about.

A cold, but gentle breeze tickled him to the bones, and a conscious thought came to Phelan's awareness – he was stripped of his Halloween costume and now stood in nothing but his mahogany-brown fur to barely protect him against the elements.

Basically, Phelan realized, his movements were restricted so as to prevent him from summoning the powers of the dark to save him from this tangled mess.

And lo and behold, his captor was standing before his very eyes, and he wasn't the only one who was used to being annoyed to look upon a familiar face.

The Darkness was pacing back and forth, muttering to himself while his tail lashed about furiously with every step.

"_**I was this close!"**_ Phelan could hear his other half cursing under his breath. _**"I was but a footstep away from returning the world to its former state! I could have given the universe back its glorious beginning, and none of the Light's interference would've happened!"**_

He whipped his head to face Phelan, his eyes blazing in contempt and rage.

"_**This is all your fault! I trusted you to do the right thing, and then you disobeyed me by screwing up our plans? You betrayed your own master!"**_

"Aw geez, can't you solve your own problems?" mocked Phelan, still shackled by his bonds. "But hey, you wanted to make sure that everything went against me, didn't you? Looks like you got your wish."

Infuriated, the Darkness walked over to Phelan and raked his claws across Phelan's face.

The sharp and triggering pain caused Phelan to whimper softly, but the warmth he felt did not come from the blood that trickled down his cheeks, rather; it was his newfound strength of finally being able to stand up on for his own.

"You're nothing but a worthless parasite!" laughed Phelan, half-yelling. "You deserve nothing that the world has to offer you, because you're so full of hate and selfishness!"

His words only succeeded in fuelling the fires of the Darkness's wrath, and the dark chipmunk raised an arm and slashed it against Phelan's belly.

Phelan fell to his knees; his arms were still held by their shackles, so he could only hang his head low and cry in his silence.

The Darkness paused for a moment, but his mouth contorted into a mask of fury and he raised his paw once more to strike his captive.

"_**If I am selfish, Phelan, it is all because of you! If I have felt hatred, it is because you have learned to keep the feelings of hate buried in your black heart!**_

"_**All that I am, and all that I have felt – is all because of your own doing! You are the one who made me!"**_

"Liar! You're lying!" Phelan shouted through his tears.

"_**Oh, am I?"**_

But there was nothing that Phelan could say to contradict the words of his superior. A cold horror suddenly crept up Phelan's spine. What if for once, the Darkness was telling the truth? What if his well being had indeed manifested into the worst of all evils?

"_**Look at the state of the great warrior!" **_crowed the Darkness as he stared up and threw his arms out wide, as though challenging the heavens themselves. _**"How pathetic he looks, like the stupid, insolent pup he was meant to be!"**_

He looked down upon Phelan and pushed him further, ignoring the howls of pain until Phelan was on all fours and his foot was on his face.

"_**Maybe if you beg for your life, I'll consider setting you free, and we'll forget all of this ever happen. What say you?"**_

When the Darkness lifted his foot, he was expecting Phelan to stare back at him with immense hate and anger, but he was caught off guard as the feisty warrior threw back his head and spat hard; a glob of saliva trickling down the Darkness's contorted face.

"Go to hell!" snarled Phelan.

The sudden pain came again, quick and sharp, but Phelan's throat was hoarse from all that screaming as his other half clamped down firmly onto Phelan's shoulder and had sank his fangs deep into his flesh.

"_**That's just a taste of your own medicine," **_sneered the Darkness, and Phelan's memories jolted back to the moment when he attacked Soron.

"You've got a lot of nerve, coward. Do you honestly think that chaining me like a dog and hurting my body is going to break my spirit?"

The Darkness folded his arms. _**"That, my idiot apprentice, is not any of my concern."**_

"Still, why are you doing this to me?"

"_**Because you and I are going to have a serious talk about us. Right here, right now, mano a mano. And, when it comes to the subject of you and me, I am incapable and unable of believing anything you're most likely to say."**_

"What makes you believe I'm going to spill everything to you, scumbag? For all you know, I could've just easily been lying right under your nose."

No sooner had he mentioned those words, a sharp current ran through his body, causing Phelan to gasp out in shock.

"_**That's because I came fully prepared this time, pup. In my dreams, you play by my rules. And by the way, that bite I gave you comes laced with my abilities to make you confess your deepest, darkest secrets to me by the time we're done."**_

The Darkness then began pacing back and forth across Phelan, his panther-like tail swishing constantly as he put his paws behind his back and began to mumble to himself. He turned his back to Phelan, sighing angrily before he quickly turned around and lashed Phelan's back with a hellfire whip he conjured with a flex of his wrist, making the chained chipmunk scream in pain as the dark flames scorched his fur.

"_**When you first came to live with those miserable rodents, did you honestly think you were going to have a better life than before?**_" he asked, his voice tainted with venom and anger. His face lightened when he heard Phelan's whimpers ringing in his ears.

No response…

The dark chipmunk grabbed Phelan by the top of his head and yanked it backward, making Phelan jolt his head up as his eyes met with the Darkness.

"_**Answer me!**_" he roared, exposing his fangs.

Phelan kept his tears from falling as he stared deeply into the burning eyes of his darker half.

"NO!"

The Darkness grinned from ear to ear at the sound of his captive's answer.

"But at least I would've been away from the likes of _you!_" Phelan spat, snarling as his fangs began to show.

The Darkness pushed him back, making the scorch marks bleed as he screamed in anguish. Tears were now streaking from Phelan's eyes as he hissed in pain, struggling to get up with the help of his chains.

The dark chipmunk summoned a chair made up of tendrils, raising it at a height that, when he sat down, he and Phelan could be at eye-level. He sat on it impatiently, all the while resting his fingers in front of his face as he sighed in quiet frustration.

"_**Did you feel any hatred for that rodent of a chipmunk you call a brother when he took his girl away from you?**_" he asked, staring at him with malicious eagerness. "_**I'm sure you must've had some thoughts of vengeance, am I right?**_"

Phelan looked up at his twisted counterpart's wide eyes, swallowing a lump that suddenly formed in his throat. His breathing suddenly became erratic as his thoughts kept him from thinking straight.

'Brittany…' he thought, his heart began pumping furiously as his thoughts became concentrated on the auburn pink clad chipette. His eyes now focused on the floor as he continued thinking about her. His breath caught when he imagined the chipette of his dreams now holding paws with the red-clad chipmunk. His brother, Alvin, with the girl that stole his heart… that single person who made him feel whole.

Eventually, Phelan hung his head low in defeat, cursing under his breath as he whispered regretfully.

"Yes…"

"_**HA! I knew it!**_" The dark chipmunk howled, jumping up from his chair, slowly walking to the guilt-stricken chipmunk.

The Darkness slowly lifted Phelan's chin up to his face. His captive's cheeks burned red with embarrassment while his eyes brimmed with tears of remorse.

"_**Not quite the goody-goody you advertise yourself as, are we Phelan? Ha! What a laugh!**_" The panther-furred chipmunk then slapped Phelan hard with his claws, scraping his face with such a force that more blood immediately spurted from the wounds, making Phelan hiss in pain as groaned in anguish.

Nothing had prepared him for the pain of agonizing, excruciating _torture_…

Once the laughing died down, the Darkness knelt close to him, lifting him from under his shoulders, making him stand. His eyes bore deeply as he put his vile paws on his shoulders, their gazes meeting as Phelan looked at him hatefully. His dark half then backed off and stood in front of him. His tail wagged slowly with devious patience as they stared at each other in the ever still silence.

"Out of questions already?" Phelan panted, keeping one eye closed as his drool mixed with his blood.

"_**I just have one left in mind…**_" his other half replied coldly.

The dark chipmunk suddenly gripped Phelan by the neck with his paw, causing Phelan to gag under the immense pressure around his throat. The Darkness gritted his teeth as he leaned his face closer to Phelan's.

"_**Why did you run away from me that night, Phelan? What made you defy me?**_" he demanded in a harsh whisper, loosening his grip on the mahogany chipmunk, allowing him to breath as his dark counterpart awaited his answer.

Phelan gasped as he regained his breath. He stared angrily at the vile being in front of him as he coughed from the release.

"It was…" he mumbled, gritting his teeth.

"_**Well? I don't have all day!"**_

"It was because… I didn't want to become your slave…"

* * *

**_"__Come, my servant…_**_**" **the Darkness commanded, bringing Phelan to a nearby clearing. **"**_**_Your final test is about to commence… after completing this task, you shall become truly one with the darkness, and you shall become a true master of the night.__"_**

_He was young and still naive; a puppet held by the strings of the puppet master, his eyes clouded with the perceptions of only evil and forever darkness..._

_"Yes, Master…" he replied, bowing his head in compliance._

_The Darkness then created an orb with an image forming in the centre. When Phelan looked into it, he noticed that the orb was circling high above the skies. It looked down at a nearby forest. It was about a hundred acres in diameter, with hundreds of animals hiding within its shadows._

**_"__Your final test,_**_**" **the malicious voice whispered in his ear, **"**_**_is to annihilate ALL the inhabitants of this forest. From robin to hawk, lizard to serpent, from rats to even CHIPMUNKS! You are to kill every last one of them… and embrace the raw and latent potential that now lurks your now tainted heart!__"_**

_And from within that darkness, a light approached, and the puppet was no longer a puppet, for his mind suddenly snapped..._

_Phelan's heart began to race. He already did it once before, and he didn't even mean to do it, but it was _his_ paws that were covered in _their_ blood. He scanned the forest through the orb and saw the many families that hid in the shadows of the forest. The children playing on the forest floor, the infants crying for their parents to feed them, sparrows and robins taking wing beneath the beautiful sky, it was filled with so much innocence and freedom; he couldn't do a repeat of what he did to _them_, not again…_

_'P-P-Phelan…' he could hear Soron's mother whisper as he impaled her with his claws. He had already killed Soron's father with a slash of the throat. He dislodged his arm from the chipette's chest and looked out at the terrified community outside. In a rampage, he blasted the tree next door with a roar of hellfire, causing immediate panic. But whenever a chipmunk would scream, he or she would be silenced by the claws… of the Darkness._

_What he did to Soron and his tribe was unforgivable beyond all reason. Phelan immediately tensed as he looked at the multitudes of families that called the forest _'home'_. His heart began pounding him senseless as his mind began to race in between decisions._

**_"__What's the matter, my servant? Don't you wish to embrace the TRUE nature of the Darkness!_**_**" **he boomed, his arm reaching toward the trembling chipmunk. _

_Phelan, sensing his master's insanity, quickly disabled the Darkness's arm and struck him hard with a shadow orb, trapping him with a mini forest of black tendrils. He ran on all fours, as fast as they could carry him; to run away from it all: the guilt, the hatreds, the regrets, everything… they were already beginning to haunt him again._

_"**You fool! How dare you disobey me, your master?"**_

_"I…" he mumbled to himself, his voice becoming raspy from the tears he was now shedding._

_"Am… not your… slave… ANYMORE!"_

_With that, Phelan tore through the forest, to the nearest town as the Darkness let out an ear shattering roar._

**_"_**_**Foolish rodent! You will never escape me! I will find you even if it's the last thing I DO!"**  
_

* * *

"_**Is that it?**_" the Darkness scoffed, chuckling a little. "_**You escaped me because you were too afraid to take another life? Why didn't you show such compassion when Soron and your brothers turned against you! HA! And I thought you were an honorable warrior! Where's your honour now, pup?**_"

Phelan laughed a little, catching his counterpart off-guard. He was laughing? Even when he was tortured and beaten, he still has the guts to laugh?

"You're wrong, _Your Highness_. My honour is within me. It always has been… within me," he mumbled, laughing lightly.

Perhaps he was trying too hard to mask his defeat with overconfidence, until he felt something sharp pierce through him with massive strength.

And just like the pain that followed, his world started to crumble.

The Darkness had planted all his weight on his jaws as he chomped down on Phelan's throat, disabling him from breathing and speaking all together. When he pulled out, he punched Phelan hard on the face one final time, and left the bleeding chipmunk struggling for his life on his chains.

"_**You have been nothing more than a waste of my precious time. A huge disappointment. I could have given you the world, but it seems you would choose to go against my will." **_

"Just happy... I'm doing my job..." gasped Phelan heavily, his mouth gurgling with blood.

A slight bit of pressure lifted his face up, and Phelan was staring once more into the eyes of the Darkness. For a second, the dark chipmunk looked as though he was remorseful of having to put an end to his student's life.

But there was too much kindness and defiance flaring in the wolf-like chipmunk's eyes, and the anger came back to haunt the Darkness as he spat back at Phelan's face.

"_**I am so SICK of you."**_

Phelan wanted to shout out a retort, but the Darkness turned his back and walked towards the end of the platform, awaiting the emptiness that stood before them both.

"_**Consider this my last task for you, Phelan – to die and leave me alone. You can meet your mother – and everyone else I've killed for you!"**_

The last of his consciousness was draining away from his muscles, like the waters flowing from a distant river. It would drift away, but this time, the waters would not come back, as Phelan realized with dread. This was a death he could not escape – even in his world of dreams.

"_**Goodbye, my idiot apprentice. Be at peace."**_

And he was left with silence

Nothing came out from his mouth, but his mind still resonated with what remaining strength he willed himself to speak. Phelan looked up, where the sky seemed so much brighter than before, and he swore he could hear voices – did they sound familiar? – calling to him from above.

_If only you could hear me, wherever you are..._

_Mother, I wish I could turn back time for you, so I could try harder to save you. _

_Soron, I know I've taken everything from you. A family, a home, and the love of a brother. I don't care if you still hate me, but I truly hope I could earn your forgiveness._

_And Alvin, I'm sorry I broke your trust. Brittany truly belongs to you, and I hope you will treasure her well, as I did when you weren't there._

_I'm sorry for letting everyone down, you guys. I've failed you all. I've failed - everything..._

Phelan's voice vanished, as well as the will he strove to live on. His very soul was ripped from his body as he felt something warm touch his forehead before he fell into an abyss of light and memories...

* * *

**_To Be Continued..._**

_Ok, looks like I only made things worse for Phelan. Or, did I? ;)_

_Next time on Darkness - be prepared for some more unusual surprises - and one that'll take you right off the edge of your seat! _

_Until then, don't forget to click that little button down there and comment, okay? :)_

_P.S: For some of you readers/ writers, I apologize if I haven't been reviewing as of frequently. But I do check out the fanbase from time to time, and your stories are simply captivating!_

_I look forward to hearing from you._

_~ Wind_


	21. The Wolf Breaks Free

_It seems almost like yesterday that I first entered the FanFic archives with my own stories. Actually, I think it has been one year to this day itself. _

_To all you readers who are writers yourselves and have stayed on FanFic for over a year, congratulations, and please, please, PM and share with me the experience of being an old timer. Words are what make the world go round, after all!_

_Anyway, I'm coming closer to the end of writing this. It is sad, but the end is really nigh. __I'm dedicating this chapter to my brother Periosha, who has put up with my consistent badgering, but has still delivered me such fine words and sentences of being my favourite co-writer. Perry, I always love working with you! )_

_So sit back and enjoy!  
_

* * *

**Chapter 21: The Wolf Breaks Free**

Darkness gave way to light in a myriad of dazzling colours and undulating shapes, right before the gift of sight came back to him. He blinked, turning the lights into distance and objects with proper shape and mass.

Phelan stretched his now-free arms and legs, feeling the liberty of a soaring bird with nothing to hold him back.

And in front of him stood the brighter side of the end of the world, blocked by the undistinguishable figure that instantly materialized into the kindness of his mother.

One minute Phelan felt the cold shiver of death creeping up his furry pelt, the next all that bleak and cold darkness was replaced by the warmth of his mother's hug.

"Phelan, you shouldn't be here. Even so, you can't stay for long. We've got to get you back." There was no mistaking the tone of fear and anxiety in her voice.

"Back to where?"

"To fight the Darkness, of course! We can't let him win!"

Phelan remained as still as a statue, until his mother shook him from his frozen state.

"Phelan, you know of the phrase 'stay away from the light', don't you? Well, this is a good time as any to stay out of it!" she exclaimed, and Phelan knew that no amount of exaggeration masked the solemnity behind her words.

"But, I don't understand. I mean, I'm supposed to be dead, am I?" asked Phelan.

"Barely; you're on the brink of it. But we can get you out of here and back into your conscious self. You've got to hurry, before you slip into another dream or worse, the afterlife!"

"Why not?"

"Because the longer you stay in a dream that's further away from your conscious mind, the more you will be convinced that you're living in reality instead of a fantasy."

"And that means if I'm dying, but I stay for too long in a dream that's in a dream within another dream..." Phelan started, his mind a little fuzzy at comprehending the deeper levels of context.

"You will die in the end, but your mind would have wandered too far to return to its original body to host it back. And that could mean the end of your existence."

Phelan nodded, rather nonchalantly. "Oh."

It wasn't the kind of _oh_ that was filled with inquisitiveness and wanting to understand more, but it was more of a dejected, I-couldn't-care-less sort of _oh_.

"I think... that's just fine with me," he said, earning himself a look of disappointment.

Phelan's mother stared in confusion as her son hung his head with the guilt of shame.

"Sweetheart, is something bothering you? You never go down without a fight; it's in your blood."

The world was suddenly swimming before Phelan's view. A single tear trickled down his nose.

"I give up on this journey. Every time I face the Darkness, I'm always at the losing end. It knows me too well, every one of my moves and thoughts. I might as well tell it what colour's my underwear every day."

"Son... you mustn't let the Darkness get to your head so easily," reassured her calm and soothing voice.

"But it already has. I can't beat this thing, Mum... I just can't," Phelan said, before throwing himself into his mother's arms and breaking down in her warm embrace.

The fallen warrior cried until he was sure his eyes were wrung dry, but he allowed himself a small smile as his mother reached out and wiped his tears away, making him feel completely safe and innocent like being a child again.

"To defeat the Darkness, you need more than just your wits and strength – you need to unlock the light that's been trapped into the chasm of your soul and let it shine throughout your body."

She might as well have given him the entire list of Einstein's formulae to memorize, because this wasn't making the slightest of common sense.

"You cannot win this battle until you conquer your greatest enemy – the doubt that shrouds yourself."

As the atmosphere died down to a silence, Phelan's mother made her son close his eyes.

"Phelan?"

"Yes?"

"Do you remember how I really died?"

Her question caught him off by surprise as he stared with widened eyes.

"Of course I do! You were killed by that fox when I was only three and we were picking berries for the winter."

She shook her head, forlornly.

"I'm sorry to tell you this, Phelan, but that's not what really happened. You've only been deceiving yourself."

"But... I saw it with my own eyes!"

"Sometimes, the memory is too painful to bear that you block it with thoughts of lesser pain and more of that which gives you reassurance. Which you have done successfully, my son, but it cannot help you overcome your fears."

"I've never forgotten it! I'm not afraid!" declared Phelan, puffing out his chest to prove it.

"Then close your eyes, and think hard. Think back on the day it happened."

Once darkness overtook him, Phelan reached deep, and there he saw glimpses of it.

A stream of panther-black fur, the glint of the claws that lashed out, the cacophony of screams that were drowned out by the flow of blood, but everything else was a short circuit. The flashes of light were too bright for him to see anything, but nothing could compare to the pain that shot straight through every inch of his nerves.

He snapped back into reality, and screamed in terror.

"I – I can't think any more!" he yelled, holding his head tightly as though it would shatter into pieces from the fall of his knees. "It hurts! I don't want to remember, Mother – it hurts so bad!"

Her heart close to breaking, Phelan's mother knelt down to her son's level. She sensed the fear knotted tightly in her son's trembling fur as she gently lifted his arms away from his face and looked deep into his quivering gaze.

"Close your eyes again, dear, but this time, clear your mind and let yourself go. Trust me."

She placed her fingers on the sides of her son's head and slowly began to move them, rotating in a circular motion. Counter-clockwise, she decided, was the best way to let the bloodstreams relax and to allow the nerves to receive more effective stimulation of incoming thoughts.

It was an old treatment for shock, but it was certainly doing the job well, as Phelan's eyes had widened and turned a cloudy-white, like the surface of a gleaming pearl.

From deep inside the oyster of his mind was his subconscious being pried slowly, one layer at a time, to reveal the distant thoughts of a life long cloaked in the shadows of absence.

Memories of a forgotten past...

* * *

The young chipmunk stared out into the open and wide fields of green, with huge blinking eyes like an owl's. Beside him was his mother, watching over him as she would any protective mother; fiercely guard his life over her own.

Phelan took in the newfound wonders as patiently as any child would when he is allowed to go outside to play, letting his curious nose breathe in the scents of nature, as well as listening to the symphonies of the sounds every living thing was making. Today was his first day out in the forest, as his mother had one day promised she would take him exploring. This was going to be the rest of his home, after all.

"Do you like the forest, Phelan?" she smiled, looking at her pride and joy through the clump of berries she had gathered for tonight's supper.

"It's beautiful, Mummy!" beamed the little chipmunk.

"When you grow up, my son, this whole forest will be yours to run around, to play with and have a family of your own."

"Aw, Mum, I don't want to have another family! I want you!" little Phelan pouted as he ran up to his mother and embraced her. "I love you, Mummy."

The chipette smiled as she ruffled her son's forehead.

"Phelan, someday I won't be around anymore to watch over you. But that doesn't mean I still won't love you any less than I do right now."

"Really? I don't want you to go, Mum! I'll miss you!" Phelan was close to tears.

She reached out over her neck and unhooked the silver chain she had been wearing her entire life. As she put it over her son, she saw that Phelan looked in awe at the moonstone that caught the light of the sun, and now the whole necklace seemed to appear to be part of the moon itself.

"This belonged to your father, but he gave it to me and said that a part of him lives inside this necklace, watching over us. Now," she brought her paw to her lips and kissed it, before touching the gleaming stone, "I am a part of this necklace too, and as long as you wear it, we will always be watching over you, no matter where you are."

Phelan may have been too young to understand the truth behind his mother's words, but he threw his arms around her and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I love you, Mummy."

Phelan's mother was just about to reply when her ears perked up rigidly all of a sudden. She stood up tall and erect, her senses heightened with fear as she sniffed the air. Something was coming for them, and from the sounds of it, danger was fast approaching.

She turned to face her son.

"Phelan, we're going to play a game, alright?" she said, but the fear in her voice didn't suggest that she was playing out of mere fun. "It's like hide and seek, and this time you have to hide. But whatever you do, don't come out until I call for you, okay? I want you to hide yourself as deeply as possible, where I can't even find you. Do you understand?"

Phelan nodded vigorously, not wanting to disappoint his mother.

"Remember, don't come out until I tell you to," she repeated herself, before hugging her son as though this would be the last time she would see him. "I love you, sweetheart," she sobbed, kissing Phelan's forehead.

Then she disappeared into the trees.

Phelan sprinted as fast as his furry little legs could carry him. He scurried in and about the nearby bushes, climbed up and down small trees, trying to find the perfect hiding place.

"Mummy's so fun!" he laughed to himself as he tried hiding under a bed of moss. The moist moss dampened his fur, causing little Phelan to jump out of his hiding space, forcing to shake rigorously.

"Aw, yucky mosh! My fur's all wet!" He whined, pouting as he scurried away from the moss.

He kept on running until he heard a twig snap. Freezing in his tracks, little Phelan's heart began beating wildly.

"M-monster…" was all in his mind as he stood perfectly still. Fear numbing his nerves as he heard a rustle among the leaves. In panic, he hid underneath a nearby pine, concealing himself with the branches and the leaves.

"M-mommy… t-there's a m-m-monster…" he mumbled, tears beginning to form in his eyes as he prayed for his mother's call.

As the rustling grew louder, Phelan began sobbing louder. He curled up into a little ball as tears stained his mahogany brown fur. He was about to scream when he heard a voice echo out through the forest.

"Phelan!" The voice, assumingly male, called out, ringing confusion in Phelan's ears.

"Phelan!" It called out again, "Phelan, where are you?"

Phelan couldn't believe it! There was another chipmunk that knew him? But how could that be? Unless…

"D-daddy?" Phelan uttered, straightening himself to look out through the branches. He noticed a shadowy figure cross through the forest; its voice still crying out the same line.

"Phelan! Phelan! Where are you?"

"Dada!" Little Phelan cried out, jumping out of his hiding place and sprinted toward the figure. The shadow seemed to not hear Phelan, and leapt through the forest, with Phelan on hot pursuit as he chased the figure through the forest.

The figure managed to lead Phelan into a small thicket. Thick, thorny bushes formed a small perimeter around it. The little chipmunk began feeling exhausted from all his running, but he was far too tempted by the figure to stop running.

"Dad! Wait for me!" He cried out, and as he called, the figure stopped in its tracks, and Phelan ran toward it.

"Phelan?" it called out, making Phelan run faster toward it.

"Daddy! Daddy!" Phelan exclaimed, jumping and finally tightly hugging the figure.

"I missed you, Daddy…" he half-sobbed, leaning his little head on the shadow's shoulder.

But what Phelan didn't expect was that he heard the figure laughing… but not your ordinary laugh… it was cackling menacingly.

"Dad? Are you okay?" He asked, a little scared as well as concerned.

"Yes…" the figure replied, "But _you_ won't be…"

"What do you-?" But Phelan's question was cut short when a violet circle surround him, and four black tendrils erupted from the ground below him, tightly binding his paws and legs, securing him tightly to the ground.

"Wah! Dad, help me!" Phelan cried, immediately bawling his heart out in fear. The figure simply laughed louder at the little chipmunk's face; its shadowy eyes now glowing a crimson red.

_**"Now, little Phelan…" **_it smirked, _**"I shall give you something very… **__**special…**__**"**_

The sky around them suddenly grew dark, storm clouds brewed all across the horizon, and the shadow began laughing maniacally as the moon created space amongst the clouds to reveal itself; its shine glowing brightly and heavily above Phelan.

The shadow then flicked its wrist upward, causing another tendril to emerge from the ground, gripping little Phelan's neck and forcing him to look directly at the moon.

It then began chanting strange words in some foreign language.

"_**In nomine tenebrarum do tibi potentias nocte. Dark servireDomino novum bene!"**_

Once the final chant was said, the moon's light began shining and bored deeply into Phelan's eyes, causing the little chipmunk to scream in total agony. Phelan then felt he was pierced by a lot of needles, the tendrils that had bound him then pierced his innocent mahogany fur, pumping something alien into his blood stream, causing the little chipmunk to cry out in terror as every nerve in his body was shocked with violent volts of electricity.

"Daddy! Daddy, pwease make it stop!" he screamed, his tears flowing freely, but the figure only laughed louder. It then clenched its fist tighter, causing the tendrils to pump more into Phelan's little body, forcing the little chipmunk to scream in absolute agony and terror as the moon's light had nearly blinded him from its eerie and unholy light.

Phelan's mother had caught wind of little Phelan's screams of agony. Panicking, she ran as fast as she could throughout the entire forest, hoping her little boy was safe.

"Phelan! Phelan!" she yelled, trying to look for her son, "Oh, Lady of Light, please, please tell me that my son is safe!"

She then came upon an open cranny in the forest. There were no trees, shrubs or any bushes that could provide cover for her, but that didn't matter to her. All that matted was that her son was safe; he was the only thing she valued more than her own life.

A snap of a twig made her freeze. She sniffed the air for any danger, but could not pick up a scent. Short, silent maniacal laughter could be heard in the air, causing her to panic.

_He got to Phelan first? How? How is it possible?_ she thought, her mind racing to find the answers, to no avail.

_**"Greetings, mate of Confidence…"**_ a voice called out from behind her, which brought chills down her spine as she turned around to see a black-furred chipmunk, his bloody red eyes boring deeply into her own soul as she looked at him with fear.

"H-how did you find me?" she questioned, trying to keep her composure.

_**"It was quite easy…"**_ came the reply, _**"All I needed was to drive you out into the open and well, here we are…"**_

"Just give me back my son…"

_**"He's my son now!"**_

"No!"

The panther coated chipmunk began laughing manically loud as black lightning crackled across the darkened sky.

_**"YES!" **_he boomed, _**"He is **__**one**__** with the Darkness now! He shall be my next vessel, and I shall soon restore this world back to its dark, empty form!"**_

"Not while I'm still alive it shall happen!" she spat, venom and rage in her voice.

_**"Which is why I have to remove any **__**obstacles**__**… now don't I?"**_

Without a word, the Darkness impaled his paw right into her chest, forcing her to spit and cough up blood. The world around her now turning as the Darkness leaned into her ear.

_**"Join your mate in the afterlife, my dear… but not with dignity…"**_

The Darkness then leaned in his lips to hers, kissing her, making it difficult to breathe.

As the world drew dimmer for her, she slowly closed her eyes as images of little Phelan ran across her mind.

"_Phelan… my darling little Phelan…" _she thought, tears flowing from her eyes. _"Don't be afraid..._

"_I'm… I'm sorry…"_

"Mummy!" screamed Phelan through the binding tendrils.

* * *

The forest of blood suddenly dissolved all around him, the images floating around like a whirlpool before the light that shimmered like the brightest star reappeared once more with his mother standing in front of him.

Phelan winced as he got to his feet, feeling a sudden, but numbing pain spread like fire through his chest. This must be what she had meant by staying in the dream world for too long with his injuries so fatal...

But right now, Phelan could feel his pain ebbing away, being replaced not by sorrow and regret, but a burning rage that ate away at his vengeful heart.

"How could I let him deceive me?" he yelled, balling up his tight fists, ready to lunge out at something. When he couldn't find anything else to hurt, Phelan slashed wildly at the air, creating flaming arcs that left searing marks across the fabrics of dreams. "How could I have just stood there and let him take control of my own destiny?"

She just stood there with all her maternal patience, waiting until her son had cooled off a little before being able to explain.

"You were only a child, Phelan. You couldn't have done anything to fight the Darkness, or you would have gotten yourself killed."

"Kept as a pet, is more likely," spat Phelan, his sarcasm now clouding every last one of his thoughts. "And what did he mean when he said you were the mate of Confidence?"

"There's something I should have told you... a long time ago."

Infuriated, the wolf-like chipmunk turned his back on her and shut his eyes tight.

"It's about your father, Phelan."

Her words caught Phelan's attention, and she continued to speak, not wanting to delay the secret any longer.

"When I first met your father, he wasn't who I first thought he was. You could say that looks were very deceiving between the both of us. I thought he was brought here to end my life. But he approached me calmly, and told me that he meant no harm.

"He would not reveal much about himself, only that he was a member of a pack called Victory's Hounds. They were guardians who fought in the name of good, the protectors of the weak and the innocent. And he had come down to our earth with a task to protect us.

"My heart fell for him, not because he was mysterious as the stars above, but because he was earnest and true. He even abandoned his wolf form and took on an appearance like us chipmunks in order to stay with me and. I knew I did the right thing by letting him choose me as his mate, because we were blessed with the greatest gift ever – you."

"Where are you getting on with this?" Phelan asked, though he half-feared to know the answer that he was expecting to hear.

"Your father... was a wolf."

Phelan's mouth hung in astonishment, letting his brain wash over the sudden facts like a raging tide.

"But, why? Why did you keep this from me? Why didn't you tell me who my father was?"

She pulled her son closer.

"I told myself to wait until you were a little older. I was afraid that you couldn't handle the truth when you were a young chipmunk. But now that you have learned of the many things of the world and the powers that were given to you, I thought that now would be a good time as any, when you had learned to accept the extraordinary in your life."

If her words were true and his father was indeed who she said he was, then that could only mean one thing...

It would shatter the very fabrics of his realty...

But it would also explain everything about him...

Phelan pushed himself away from the warmth of her hug and buried his face in his paws, mumbling over and over to himself.

"No, no, no, it can't be! This isn't possible. It's not true! Mother; I'm not who you think I am."

"And what is it I think you should be?" she said, looking inquisitively at her son.

"I can't be... I'm not a hybrid, am I?"

Her warm smile and gentle nod was comforting to know, but it also meant the truth.

"Yes... yes, you are. But above all this, you are a blessing."

"Somehow, I don't see myself that way…" he mumbled, barely above a whisper. He turned his face to his mother as he crouched into a ball, quietly whimpering as he sniffled. To think, his father – let alone _part of himself_ – was a _wolf_? He could hardly believe his ears.

"What's wrong, my dear?" his mother asked, clearly worried about her son. Her ears perked up when she heard a quiet sniffle come from Phelan, making her sigh softly as she approached him, putting her paws on his broad, wolf-like shoulders.

"I know this is rather difficult to take in…" she gently whispered into his ear, making him sigh as she kissed the side of his head. "You had to know the truth eventually. I believed that now was the perfect time to tell you…"

"You were going to tell me when I'm close to being _dead_?" he half-growled, his eyes avoiding contact from hers. "Isn't that rather late of you to explain that I was born a freak of nature?"

Phelan then laughed harshly at himself as he looked into his mother's eyes.

"Some blessing I turned out to be…" he spat, cursing himself as he looked at his feral paws. "I'm nothing more than a cowardly chipmunk! I'm not even the brave wolf that my father was… how pathetic of me!"

His mother's grip on his shoulders tightened as she heard him speak, grabbing the mahogany furred chipmunk's attention. He turned his head to face his mother, looking into her gentle spring green eyes. Seeing them didn't make him feel better. He tilted his head back to the ground when he felt his mother's claws scratch on his shoulder.

"Phelan…" she growled, making him hesitantly face her. Her calm spring green eyes were now slant and disappointed, and had lost the feeling of gentleness. He quickly looked away from her face, making his mother sigh heavily.

"Look at me…" she growled again, making him flinch as he slowly looked up at her, making their eyes meet.

"Do NOT say that you are pathetic, my son…" she continued, this time with a much gentler tone.

"What makes you say that, mom?" he asked, still not feeling better.

"You have done many wondrous deeds, my son…" she cooed, rubbing her cheek against his, making him sigh happily.

"You have become a brother to those chipmunks who have taken you in during your darkest hour. You saved their lives many times from the evils of the Darkness. You even made amends with Soron for the crime you never committed intentionally! You made them feel 'complete', Phelan. I can sense the great love that you and Soron shared after he adopted you as his brother. The same feelings I can sense from Alvin and his brothers, as well as their girlfriends.

"You made a difference in their lives, bringing them to adventures they would have never done on their own because you have been taking great care of them all with your strength.

"But the greatest of your achievements, perhaps…" she cupped her paw on his cheek as she kissed him, "was your sacrifice to save this world from the flame and evil of the Darkness. Thanks to you, light can finally shine freely, and everyone free from becoming slaves of evil!"

Her mother's words struck a few chords in his heart as he remembered his time on Earth. _Meeting Soron during that terrible storm, he and his family adopting him as a brother. How the two of them became the best of rivals, to enemies after he unintentionally murdered the entire tribe..._

_How he ran to the Seville household on that dark, stormy night. How warm their hearts were when they accepted him as a Seville. Sleepovers, being a part of the family; how he basked in their laughter and relished every moment of it. How school-life was like, despite how temporary it was, he still enjoyed it. _

_Fighting with the Darkness, his other half, as well as his 'brother' Soron in that warehouse. The feelings he had for Brittany, how his heart was shattered when she and Alvin were reunited, and the consoling comfort Soron gave him afterwards. And the final battle tonight – during Halloween – was the most painful and epic battle he and Soron had ever shared. He even brought his brothers and the chipettes into the jaws of the dragon, yet they all survived._

But through it all, every deed etched into the fabrics of his timeline was well worth the struggle.

A small grin etched on his face as he licked his mother's cheek lovingly, like a wolf pup would do to his mother to show affection.

"Thanks, mom…" he smiled, tears of happiness streaking from his eyes. "I now understand the meaning of my existence on Earth, and I've never been happier with my decisions."

"I'm sure your father would be proud…" she cooed, nuzzling her face against his cheek, making him chuckle lightly. "Not only have those qualities made you a brave chipmunk, but also a true 'wolf' in our eyes, my son…"

His eyes went back as he backed away from her, looking at her surprised. A small smile began to tint on his face. Suddenly, a group of silent howls could be heard from the distance. He turned around noticed that there were three wolves sitting up proudly in the darkness, their snouts pointing towards the black sky as they sang in unison.

The wolf in the centre had a lush pelt of mahogany fur and forest green eyes, looking somewhat like Phelan. The wolf to his left had crispy brown fur and hazel brown eyes, and looked so serious and well-put, similar to Soron. The third and final wolf on the right had iridescent silver fur and cerulean eyes; his size was somewhat much larger than the two wolves beside him as they howled in the darkness. Wings of angelic grandeur sprouted from their back as they stood with regal pride, continuing to howl.

Phelan's mother smiled lightly as she wrapped one arm around Phelan's shoulder, while using her other arm to address the majestic sentinels.

"These are some of the wolves in Victory's Pack, my son. This is Sorrow…" she spoke, gesturing to the wolf on the left.

"Raconteur…" she pointed to the silver furred wolf.

"And finally…" she sighed lightly, "that is Confidence… your father," she smiled, gesturing to the wolf in the centre.

As Phelan looked on at the magnificent wolves in awe, the one called Confidence nodded his head lightly and the corner of his mouth rose into what appeared to be a warm smile.

In unison, the three wolves howled once more, this time their bodies beginning to vanish into the darkness. Phelan, now filled with a new burning heart, stood proudly and listened to the echo of their voices as he howled along into the darkness that surrounded him.

Knowing that his father was a wolf, Phelan howled once more, this time with pride as he felt a breeze of warmth comfort him while the darkness around him began to fade...

* * *

The first strains of consciousness came back to him in a blinding flash, and when Phelan opened his eyes, he realized the annoying presence of those accursed chains, still holding him back in place.

Rage fuelled his veins, and he threw back his head in a howl. The call of the wild fuelled his veins with newfound strength, and as he pulled harder, the chains shattered with a deafening explosion. Phelan's wrists may still have been shackled, but at least he was free.

The Darkness could only stare as his captor, once broken and defeated, was now prowling around on all fours; baring his teeth as he snarled, like an enraged animal that had broken free from its cage.

"_**No – this is impossible! You were supposed to perish by my hand!" **_

Having the shackles around his wrists proved to be a major advantage for Phelan as he struck the Darkness blow after blow. The chains danced dangerously under the control of Phelan's arms, like a deadly serpent flailing about in mid-air waiting for the right moment to strike. There was no way the Darkness could fight back without getting lashed by the stings of fury from Phelan's whip-like skills.

He was tired of living in his captor's shadow; tired of being bound by the strings that held him away from his destiny. Now the wolf within him was fighting for something deep within his heart, and he watched as the Darkness skidded to the ground after a series of Phelan's barraging blows.

"_**Do you really think you can win this battle so easily? I will return, and I will find myself a new apprentice – as I always have! One with power far greater than yours! Then, you'll be on your knees, begging me to take you back in as you did when your family died!"**_

The contemptuous sneer in the Darkness' voice only infuriated Phelan's growl, and he pinned the Darkness down, a paw raised directly over the dark chipmunk's face.

"All these years I blamed myself, when it was YOU all along! You killed my mother, and Soron's family!

"_**And you should be thanking me for that, cretin! With your stupid love and distractions out of the way, I would be able to train you into the greatest warrior the world could possess! You care only about living?" **_

The dark chipmunk raised his head and butted Phelan, knocking him backwards. _**"Now look at you – you have lost everything!"**_

Free from his captor's grasp, the Darkness summoned another fiery orb in his claw, but Phelan was quicker. The chains proved to be a greater advantage as he lashed out and caught the Darkness off balance, incapacitating his arms and leaving the dark chipmunk slumped down once more.

"No, I haven't. Because I've got something you don't possess."

"_**And what, pray tell, is that?"**_ sneered the Darkness.

"A true purpose – one that's worth fighting for," said Phelan, now towering over his former master. He loosened his grip on the chains, but he never kept his eyes off the Darkness.

"My cause to live was given to me when you 'blessed' me with your powers, I'll give you that. And you kept me in the shadows, thinking that I could never see the good in anyone.

"But now I have a family, I have friends, and I have all the love and friendship in the world. And I'll use my powers of darkness – but I'll use them against you. I'll keep on fighting, even when I'm gone. And that is my true purpose.

"_**Your purpose? You're only making the biggest mistake of your life!" **_gasped the Darkness in a throaty voice. _**"You cannot defeat me!"**_

"I am a true warrior, not of the darkness, but of the balance. That's why I have won – and you've failed."

The dark chipmunk's snarl turned into a murmuring whimper.

"_**Phelan, you don't have to do this. I can reunite you with your mother. Hell, I'll even throw in Soron with his parents! Come back to my side, and together, we can rule the universe in its glory; in this life and the next!"**_

Did he detect a note of sympathy in Phelan's heart? Whatever it was, Phelan knew how the endgame was about to play out. One had to be victorious, where the other had to fall.

"It's not going to happen," growled Phelan.

The Darkness was livid.

"_**Well, as the worst student I have even taken under my wing, I am obliged to tell you this – YOU SUCK!"**_

"Oh yeah? Then you can suck on this!"

He clenched his right fist and pulled it back, enveloping it in an aura of dark energy. With his left paw, he grabbed the Darkness by the scruff of his neck and let him have the full blast.

Phelan could feel every inch of satisfaction and righteousness flowing through his body as his punch collided against panther-black fur, muscle and nerve. The impact sent the Darkness flying through the air like a rag doll, until he tripped, stumbled over and landed just an inch from the end of the circular platform that held both of them afloat.

One split second was all it took to determine the fate of who could be the last one standing. And Phelan, seeing his chance, summoned another call of dark energy into both paws while howling like a maddened wolf.

He screamed as he cupped his hands and thrust them outwards, sending a beam of black light crashing into his enemy and knocking both contenders backwards.

The Darkness tumbled and fell endlessly into the abyss of void and space.

The look of shock on his face twisted away into a gasp of utter horror, for no matter how hard the dark chipmunk trashed or fought, he fell faster – and all he could do was open his mouth in a voiceless, eerie kind of scream.

And he fell into nothingness...

To be consumed by the very thing that he truly was...

* * *

A stream of curses sliced through the air like a grating knife, but as Phelan peered over the surface, he could see nothing but a tiny speck of black that gradually grew into nothingness before being swallowed up by the darkness.

_How ironic it must be for him_, Phelan thought, _to have an ending such as this_.

He sat down, already feeling a slight cramp in his muscles, and he proceeded to groom himself thoroughly of any cuts and bruises endured in the scuffle.

Then a wave of relief washed over him, and – whether it was a sign of his sanity returning or vice versa, he didn't know – Phelan let out a throaty and heartfelt laughter that rang throughout the dream-like silence.

Never before had he felt such freedom; so fully in control of his own life.

"You've done well, my boy..."

Phelan turned around in the direction where the mysterious voice had come from. A ray of light shown down upon Phelan, and as he shielded his eyes from the glaring brightness, it died down to reveal a brown-furred, green-eyed wolf, its wings fluttering in the air before it landed in front of him.

It was Victory's Confidence – his father. And on his back sat Phelan's mother, looking at her son like he meant all the stars and the moon above.

As the wolf came up to him, Phelan knelt before the magnificent creature the way a squire kneels before he is dubbed as a knight. He wasn't given any special titles though, but the wolf nuzzled Phelan's shoulder with his snout, and the wolf-like chipmunk reached out to stroke his father's shiny, star-glistening pelt.

"You have bested an enemy that no other has ever defeated before," said his father, and Phelan was surprised to see the glint of a smile forming on the wolf's jaw. "And though you may not understand it, this is just the beginning of a war in which you were destined to win."

Phelan nodded, but there was something else now stirring up in the back of his mind. And he needed to get it off his chest as quickly as he could.

"Dad?" he asked. "If you've been watching me all this time, then why didn't you step in to protect me from the Darkness? Wouldn't it have made a huge difference back then?"

The majestic wolf nodded solemnly, but gave his son a comforting lick on the cheek.

"I know it has been tough on you, but I had to let you make your own choices. Nobody else has the power to wield control of your own destiny, Phelan. Only you are. And perhaps what I did was wrong, but believe it or not, you have decided the fate of your brothers and their friends, and perhaps so much more."

"So much more of what?"

"You said so yourself that you found a purpose to protect the innocent from the influences of evil. For that, what you have done has been a great service – one that would make Victory's pack extremely proud of you."

As smoothly as his father put his words with such, well, confidence, Phelan was always ready to notice the catch behind everything. "But?"

"But the Darkness isn't just your only enemy, Phelan. There are plenty of other evils out there, some far greater and more diabolical than you could possibly imagine. They are always on the lookout for a chance to hurt our world, to shatter it to its very ends. It is up to you, my boy," he growled, gently but with a steep of firmness, "to not give them that chance.

"The fate of many now depends on your abilities as a guardian of the darkness – to protect this realm, and the others that are in great need of your service."

"I understand, Dad," Phelan nodded, feeling ready to take on whatever the world could throw at him. "But... where do I go from here?"

The wolf pointed with its head, and both father and son could see the light from the break of a new dawn; pulsing with many colours from above, as though beckoning the weary traveller to ascend into the unknown.

"What's beyond that light?" asked Phelan.

"Only you can figure it out yourself, son."

And just like that, it dawned upon him – like opening a chest to reveal what lay inside. This time, he knew where the end of the road was going to take him to.

Before he could make up his mind, Phelan's mother approached him, her eyes brimming with happiness.

"No mother could ever have a son like you, Phelan. You've made me so proud, and I love you."

Then she hugged him. She was crying, but it was her tears of joy that gave Phelan so much comfort, and he gently licked the tears that flowed down her cheeks.

She chuckled as she patted her son's head, a feeling that made Phelan wanted to pant with joy; to do anything for her and be the most loyal companion in this realm and the next.

"I was right when I said that you're a very brave chipmunk, my son. But I know this – you'll make a fine wolf too, just like your father," Phelan's mother said. "Make me proud, and don't ever let anything bring you down for who you truly are."

Phelan said nothing, but he smiled. "It's time, isn't it? I mean, to get going?"

Both the wolf and the chipette nodded.

The wolf-like chipmunk spread his arms and hugged both his parents at the same time.

"Thank you for everything you've done, Mum ... Dad. I'll make you both proud. You have my word."

He took one last look at them before waving goodbye.

And he walked straight into the Light...

* * *

**_To Be Continued..._**

_Yup, you heard me right. Only this time, there's just one more chapter before I call it ends. The final chapter awaits! So hang on for the curtain call! XD_

_P.S: By the way, that was quite a surprise, don't you think? Anyway, I spoke to Victory's Raconteur, and he gave me the all-clear to use that converging idea which bridges our worlds. :)_

_Looking forward to all your cookies and comments,_

_~ Wind_


	22. In Search Of A New Story

**Chapter 22: In Search of a New Story**

He was lying on his back once more, feeling the after-effects of a vague dream quickly slipping away as the rich smells of the earth and grass greeted his nostrils. At first he saw only a bleak, black curtain that was blindfolding him, but as he strained his ears, he could hear the voices calling out to him as one.

"Phelan?"

"Please don't die, Phelan!"

"You can't give up now! We won't let you die for nothing, Phelan!"

Phelan struggled to lift those heavy eyelids, but at last the world came into full view. They were all there – Alvin, his brothers, the Chipettes, and even Soron, still clad in their Halloween costumes. Their sad and worried looks immediately evaporated into tears of joy.

"Phelan! Can you hear us?" cried Alvin, shaking him by the shoulders.

"You're alive." Soron seemed to appear the most casual of the lot, but even he couldn't control his emotions as he folded his arms. "You idiot, you had us thinking you were a goner for sure!"

"Yeah," smiled Phelan weakly, adding with a sly wink. "Sorry to disappoint if you guys thought I was dead."

He sat up on his legs, and saw that he was outside the school grounds underneath a pale and waning moon. The next thing Phelan knew, there were more cheers, whoops and even sobs as all the six other chipmunks gathered around him for a group hug, and in that moment, nothing could bring his spirits to soar even higher than the skies above.

"Guys... can't breathe!" gasped Phelan dramatically, and everyone cleared some space for him to catch his breath. He looked down at his chest, and was glad to see his phantom-tuxedo costume covering his fur once more. The dreams would no longer haunt him, nor would the past come back to hurt him and his family again.

"Does this means that it's over?" asked Theodore, wiping the last of his tears away.

"You're right, little bro," said Phelan. "It is finished."

Soron's voice was serious. "The Darkness... is it... gone?"

The wolf-like chipmunk just smiled. "Banished to the darkest corners of my forgotten memories."

Once more, there were smiles beaming on every face, a sigh of relief as even the Chipettes leaned closer to their counterparts for reassurance.

Simon straightened his glasses. "Still, it is impossible to describe how you came back from the dead. I checked your pulse and even gave you CPR, Phelan, but you weren't responding at all."

"Well," said Phelan, dusting off the corners of his cloak. "Like Soron here who always jumps to a thesis, I think I have a little theory of my own – something that maybe science won't be able to comprehend."

"Oh really? Explain then, my doubting brother," grinned Simon.

Phelan turned to face Soron and tapped the light-wielding chipmunk's shoulder.

"I think it's my penance," he smiled, "for saving your butt back there at the warehouse that I really ticked off Death, but fate decided to give me a second chance after all."

Soron pulled Phelan into a brotherly hug. "That's the best theory I've heard in ages."

"What kind of second chance?" asked Simon, his eyes widening with interest.

But Phelan wasn't fully listening; rather, he was paying attention to something else that caught his focus. The faint light of the moon now shone down upon his fur, reflecting his soul and renewing his strength. Gently, Phelan threw back his head and issued a low, mournful howl.

Soron was the only one who fur wasn't standing on ends upon hearing Phelan's call of the wild.

"Woah, that was some howl!" Alvin wiped the sweat off his brows; he looked as though he'd seen a ghost leap out of Phelan's body. "What was that all about?"

"Nothing, I guess... I'm just embracing my inner wolf," he said, and for some reason unknown to the others, Phelan broke into a warm smile.

Then to everyone's surprise, he lay back onto the grass and stared up at the sky, where each glittering star shone even brighter than the last.

"It's so beautiful," Phelan whispered, and he felt the tears flowing warmly down his cheeks. "I've never seen the sky at night to be such at peace... and such harmony at it too..."

Alvin, Simon, Theodore and the others didn't know what to make of the wolf-like chipmunk's sudden appreciation of nature, but deep down, they knew that it meant something good for all of them.

"I'd like to stay here and accompany you on your stargazing activities..." Simon began.

"But we've still got a show to do, and right now, the whole school need you," said Alvin, offering out a hand. "Actually, we're the ones who really need you right now, Phelan."

Still on his back, Phelan looked up at Alvin, and everyone else who were smiling at him. "Do you really think... that the world can learn to forgive me, despite all that I've done?"

He sat up on his back, still feeling unsure of himself.

In reply, both Theodore and Eleanor came over to him and gave Phelan a hug, where he could sense the warmth that spread through them – not from their furry costumes, but from the sincerity of their hearts.

"You're our brother, Phelan," smiled little Theo. "We'll always forgive you, no matter what."

"And we don't care what anyone else says, you've sacrificed so much just to protect us, and nobody could ask for more," said Eleanor. "You're the best friend any chipmunk can ever have."

The wolf-like chipmunk was close to breaking down as he patted both chipmunks on the back. "Thanks, guys," he smiled, looking at all of them. "That really means a lot to me."

A look of relief crossed Alvin's green made-up face. "So does this mean that you'll be doing the show with us?"

Phelan grabbed a hold of his brother's arm and hoisted himself up. "Of course! Wouldn't miss it for the world!" This led off another series of whooping for joy.

Nobody saw Soron turn his back during this family reunion. He had only taken a couple of steps forward when Phelan's voice stopped him in his tracks.

"And just where do you think you're going?"

"My work here is done," said Soron, resting his paws in his pockets. "I've done my duties of watching over your family and beating the crap out of the Darkness, but now it seems that you're needed back where you belong. And with that said, I must return to where I'm needed too." He looked out towards the direction of where the park should've roughly been. "We have our own stories to tell, remember?"

Phelan nodded.

"I won't argue with you on that, Soron. But can't you at least stay, until the night comes to an end? We're still a family, no matter what happens." He spread out his arms in the direction of the Chipmunks and Chipettes, as though hoping to emphasize his point.

"That's nice of you, but I think I'll stick out like a rotten nut amongst a group of party-goers. Thanks for the offer, though."

The wolf-like chipmunk looked at the warrior of the Light as he raised an eyebrow and winked.

"I'll be embarrassing myself in front of a live audience," he grinned.

It didn't take Soron long to change his mind, giving his signature smirk as he high-fived Phelan.

"Are you ready?" asked Alvin.

The four Seville brothers put their hands together in a group shake, and then broke off with a whoop that seemed to lighten up the serene and nocturnal atmosphere.

"Let's give them a show they'll never forget!" cheered Phelan.

* * *

Every bit of joyous thoughts within Phelan had all but vanished in an instant. The school hall was filled with the stares and whispers as they watched the seven of them return. And all eyes were now fixed on the wolf-like chipmunk like a multitude of tiny daggers.

"Maybe I shouldn't have come back," he hissed in Alvin's ear. "They still think I'm responsible for ruining the party!"

"Don't worry about them!" said Alvin as he pushed Phelan on stage. "As long as we get our act on, nobody's going to care about anything else!"

"But what am I going to tell them?"

"I don't know! Just say something!"

He looked to Simon and Theodore, but even they shrugged their shoulders in confounded silence.

From the crowd of onlookers, he saw Brittany smiling up at him and whispering "Good luck, Phelan!" while her sisters were waving to him.

With sweaty palms, Phelan grabbed the microphone and cleared his throat. "Hey, how y'all doing? You guys having a good time tonight?"

His voice boomed throughout the hall, shaky and uncertain. There was an uncomfortable silence. Nobody seemed to take notice or get their partying spirits rallied up. Next to the Chipettes, Phelan could see Soron face palming himself. This was not going out the way the Chipmunks were expecting.

Nevertheless, Phelan steeled himself and took a deep breath before continuing.

"I... uh, wanted to apologize for my sudden behaviour on stage. You see, I was trying to get into the Halloween spirit. Isn't that what the festivities are about, to scare somebody out of their own pants? So, what I'm trying to say is... I guess I must have done a really good job. Uh... surprise?"

For a moment he thought he was going to receive the silent treatment once more. Then from out of nowhere (perhaps it was Soron, or maybe not), a voice rang out loud and clear.

"You totally rock, Phelan!"

The entire hall erupted into one huge cheer as they called out Phelan's name. Alvin took this chance to rally everybody's spirits.

"Ladies and gentlemen, for the first time tonight, we are proud to welcome our newest member into the band. So please put your hands together and give it up – for Phelan and the Chipmunks!"

As the crowd broke into its approval once more, the music kicked off with Simon playing the intro on his cello. Theodore drummed a little, and Alvin revved up with his guitar. Phelan cast all fears aside, and started to sing – to tell the tale he knew he had wanted to say for a very long time:

_I need another story_  
_Something to get off my chest_  
_My life gets kinda boring_  
_Need something that I can confess_

_'Til all my sleeves are stained red_  
_From all the truth that I've said_  
_Come by it honestly I swear_  
_Thought you saw me wink, no_  
_I've been on the brink, so_

_Tell me what you want to hear_  
_Something that'll light those ears_  
_Sick of all the insincere_  
_So I'm gonna give all my secrets away_

_This time_  
_Don't need another perfect lie_  
_Don't care if critics ever jump in line_  
_I'm gonna give all my secrets away_

_My God_  
_Amazing how we got this far_  
_It's like we're chasing all those stars_  
_Who's driving shiny big black cars_

_And every day I see the news, all the problems that we could solve_  
_And when a situation rises, just write it into an album_  
_Seen it straight to gold_  
_But I don't really like my flow, no, so_

_Tell me what you want to hear_  
_Something that'll light those ears_  
_Sick of all the insincere_  
_So I'm gonna give all my secrets away_

_This time_  
_Don't need another perfect lie_  
_Don't care if critics ever jump in line_  
_I'm gonna give all my secrets away_

_Ooh, got no reason, got not shame_  
_Got no family I can blame_  
_Just don't let me disappear_  
_I'mma tell you everything_

_So tell me what you want to hear_  
_Something that'll light those ears_  
_Sick of all the insincere_  
_So I'm gonna give all my secrets away_

_This time_  
_Don't need another perfect lie_  
_Don't care if critics ever jump in line_  
_I'm gonna give all my secrets away_

_So tell me what you want to hear_  
_Something that'll light those ears_  
_Sick of all the insincere_  
_So I'm gonna give all my secrets away_

_This time_  
_Don't need another perfect lie_  
_Don't care if critics ever jump in line_  
_I'm gonna give all my secrets away_

The band ended the song with a final beat, followed by a loud roar of applause that shook the entire hall. As Phelan waved to the cheering crowd, Alvin took his brother's arm and raised it into the air, as though announcing him the winner of the greatest fight of his life.

And in some ways, Phelan did feel like he had won something for himself.

This was the best night of Phelan's life. Even an army of a thousand of the Darkness could not possibly ruin the chance of enjoying the one thing Phelan had learned to cherish the most. For tonight, he had finally found his place amongst the people who he could now call his friends and his family.

No longer would they look upon him as a freak, or even a cold-hearted killer...

And just like the ever-changing phases of the moon, perhaps things were starting to change for the better.

* * *

The festivities continued late into the night back at the Seville's household.

Dave was proud that the boys had pulled off yet another astounding show with great success, especially since it was Phelan's debut performance. To celebrate, he had invited the Chipettes and Soron over for pizza (vegetarian, of course) and ice-cream. Now all eight of them were in their regular clothes; sitting together in the living room and enjoying their desserts.

"You know, this cold stuff doesn't taste as bad as it sounds like," said Soron, who had just dug into his second scoop of ice-cream. "I sure wish I could have a bowl of this every day of the week!"

He looked at Phelan, who raised his glass in a half-hearted smile, but the wolf-like chipmunk still nodded his head in agreement. Ever since he'd removed his costume and makeup along with the other chipmunks, it was as though he'd left his jovial personality behind to be worn again next October. Something was definitely amiss, and you didn't need rocket science to prove it.

"Is there something bothering you, Phelan?" asked Jeanette, looking up from her spoon. "You haven't said a word since we came back."

"I'm fine, really," said Phelan.

"But you're thinking about something, aren't you?" Eleanor piped up.

Nobody said a word as Phelan began pacing around the room.

"You're thinking about the fight with the Darkness, am I right?" asked Alvin.

"My body was completely taken over by the Darkness in that final battle we had, but I still kept a fraction of my mind alive, even when the things I said weren't exactly my own. I remember the last thing the Darkness told me, right before I vanquished him.

"He said, 'There will be others like me. And there will be someone – a new apprentice with powers far greater than yours.' Or something like that."

Simon shot Phelan an anxious glare. "Does this mean that your fight against the Darkness isn't over yet? But I thought you said it was finished?"

Phelan sighed; this didn't seem like another of his desperate lies, but at the same time, perhaps it wasn't exactly the truth either.

"Who knows? The Darkness may be the worst of liars, but he never jokes about his schemes to conquer the world. I wouldn't be surprised if he had gathered chipmunks from around the world to train them in the dark arts. He's learned from his mistakes never to use a pawn that might turn against him someday, so I'm pretty sure he's got other pieces on the board for that."

This caused a look of fear amongst the brothers and their counterparts; the last thing on their minds right now would be to picture themselves being enslaved to the rule of the Darkness.

A sudden sharp noise brought the chipmunks. Soron had clapped his paws together as he leapt off the couch.

"Where are you going?" asked Phelan.

"Well, what else do you think? There's evil lurking out there, and someone's got to go out there and teach them a lesson or two," said Soron.

He was about to leave when Phelan called out to him. "Wait. There's something else I need to ask."

The wolf-like chipmunk stood up and took in a last look at his family, all of them gathered together in one spot.

"Theo?"

He unclasped the chain that lingered around his neck and held it out for all to see.

"For ten years, I've treasured this necklace because it always reminded me of my parents. But now..." He paused to hold the necklace close to his lips, which he kissed tenderly before handing it over to the little green-clad chipmunk. "Now a part of me resides in that necklace too, and I want you to hold on to it, Theo, so that it will remind you that I'll always be here – watching over my family. Can you promise me you'll do that?"

Theodore only locked eyes with Phelan, unsure of what to say until the silence was broken when Phelan put the necklace over his head.

"Why are you giving me such an important possession, Phelan? Don't you need it anymore?"

Instead of answering Theodore, Phelan turned to face everyone.

"When I fought with the Darkness in the world of my dreams, I realized what truly gave me the strength to conquer my own fears. It wasn't this necklace, nor was it my own powers. It was because I had opened up a new person inside of me – the person I was always meant to be. And in that instant when I connected with my inner soul... I felt stronger than ever.

"That's why I need to find out who I really am – so that I may find the truth of my soul within me, and use it to defend the weak and the innocent. They need me – more than I need any of you, but I'll never forget you guys. So this is..."

He struggled to find the words, but he had to wipe his eyes with his sleeve.

"I have to leave you guys for a while. This is where I'll be saying goodbye – for now."

Everyone stopped dead in their tracks. They were half-expecting Phelan to suddenly burst out laughing; perhaps it was some sort of a final say as a Halloween joke. But the silence that followed in his words was just too much to bear.

"P-Phelan?" Theodore's voice was quivering as his eyes started to well up. "D-don't go, p-please? You're a p-part of our family now."

"I'm sorry, Theo. But I have to."

Brittany stepped forward. "Phelan, if this is about what happened between us and Alvin-"

"No, it's not." He patted the chipette reassuringly on her back. "It has nothing to do with any of you or your sisters. It's just me... it's always been about me, hasn't it?"

Soron looked at the wolf-like chipmunk as though he'd just transformed into the Darkness again.

"Phelan, you've been out of your mind plenty of times before, but this one really makes you a moron! This family has been linked together with a bond that's unbreakable because of you! You've brought them together out of pure love! Have you been eating too much Halloween candy?"

He even placed his paw against Phelan's forehead, who just brushed it off with a gentle chuckle.

"You're right about one thing, Soron. This is my story, and only I can find out the ending for myself. But every story begins with a journey somewhere, and I have to fill in these pages by undertaking a journey of my own.

"I want to find the truth out by myself. And I know that somewhere out there, I'm needed to fight the forces of evil that are gathering. Surely you know what must feel like, to be a protector?"

"Of course I do," said Soron, folding his arms. "But can't you let someone else do all the fighting instead? I'm sure you're as much as a family person as you are a fighter."

Phelan rested his paw on Soron's shoulders, looking him straight in the eyes with warmth.

"I know of two warriors who once gave up everything they cared about so that they could protect the ones they loved dearly. Their sacrifice was a tough decision for them to make, but I know that they made the right choice – because they are the brightest of lights that shine down upon the ones they care, and they have given us the best of hope."

Soron nodded, and Dave and the chipmunks watched as the two friends walked to the door like warriors calmly awaiting their destiny.

"But where will you go? You obviously don't have a clue as to where to start your travels," said Alvin.

"He's got a point there," agreed Simon. "Plus, it'll be winter in a couple of week's time, give or take. How are you going to survive being all by yourself in the cold?"

"And you won't be able to have three meals a day!" Theodore looked worried.

Phelan just smiled as he placed a paw over his scar-covered chest.

"I have always trusted my instincts, and they have led me to the right path, no matter which road I choose. This time, I just want you guys to put your faith in me and whatever I do, okay?"

When nobody dared to say anything, Phelan knew that they had no choice but to accept whatever intentions he had planned – his mind was made up.

He walked over to Alvin, who had turned his back away from his family.

"I'm not going to cry. I'm not going to cry," the red-clad chipmunk mumbled over and over to himself, but already there were tears streaming down his face.

'Alvin, I know you're a much stronger person than this," said Phelan. "It's you who's always been the big brother, not me. Who cares if I'm a little older, or stronger or even wiser? It's up to you to watch over this family while I'm gone. And I know you'll do great because I have my fullest trust in you."

All Alvin could do was to stare at the floor while he sobbed.

The aura of sorrow that racked his brother's body was enough to break anyone's heart in two, let alone Phelan's. Forgetting that his wolf instincts that took over him, Phelan pressed closer to Alvin and gently licked his cheek. That gesture of comfort brought Alvin back to his composed self, and he smiled as he returned the favour and kissed Phelan on the forehead.

"You'd better come back in one piece, Phelan," warned Alvin, but with a light-humoured tone. "Or else I'm coming after you and I'll kick your sorry butt back here – whether you're done fighting evil or not!"

He held out a finger, and Phelan wrapped his around it in a pinky promise.

"You have my word on that, Alvin. Since when have I let you down?"

"Do you really want me to get started?" asked Alvin, and everybody else broke into a fit of laughter.

He gave everyone else one last hug, and when it came to Theodore's turn, he shook the green-clad chipmunk's paw with his own.

"I'll miss you a lot, little chef. Remember what I said, and don't forget to keep on cooking, okay? It's what makes the world a much better place."

Theodore nodded fiercely.

This time, Alvin didn't object as Brittany's lips brushed passionately against his, but it was only in the split of a second. "For luck," she winked.

Phelan smiled and looked at the Chipettes. "You girls are lucky to have such best friends who care for you deeply. Treasure them well, and never take your love for each other for granted."

When he turned to face Dave, he let a few sniffles escape his throat as he cuddled up against the man who he now thought of as a father. "I can never thank you enough, Dave. You've shown me what it's like to be part of a family again. And now... I'm so sorry I'm leaving you all over again."

Dave just smiled and patted his son's back.

"Maybe the best thing for you is to get away from all of this and be your own self. It's a sign that you're growing up, Phelan, and you're willing to take up whatever challenges lie your way."

"Thanks, Dave. Thanks for understanding."

Phelan dusted his trench coat and put a paw on the doorknob.

"Oh Soron, before I forget, can I ask something else from you?"

Soron rolled his eyes. "You know I'll have to do it, anyway."

"Can you keep an eye on my family while I'm gone? Just drop by once in a while to see how things are going. I know you have your own family to look out for..." he added with another wink.

"Consider it done," said Soron, though he knew what Phelan had really meant to say.

They shared one last hug.

"You take care of yourself, brother," said Phelan.

"You too," Soron smiled.

The wolf-like chipmunk waved to his family. "Don't worry about me, guys. I'll be back before you know it."

The door creaked open, and Soron vanished into the moonlight.

A sense of joy washed over Phelan as he stepped into the shadows.

And just like that, the great wielder of the Darkness had disappeared...

* * *

They ran outside, hoping to catch a final glimpse of their newest family member. But all they could see was the moonlit sky that spread across the endless horizon like a waning cloak.

Each chipmunk found comfort with their own counterpart as they watched the night slowly unfold itself; only the stars were bright enough to assure them that there was nothing to worry about.

Alvin had a look of relaxed confidence spread across his face.

"He'll be back. I know he will."

"How can you tell?" asked Brittany.

The red-clad chipmunk put his arm around and stole a kiss from her, smiling as they both held each other while staring up into the moonlight.

"Because he's a Seville, that's why. And a Seville always keeps his promise, no matter what."

* * *

The hands on the wall clock were now pointing to one minute after twelve.

Outside, the clouds had parted to reveal a now shining moon come full circle.

Tonight, the darkness that came did not bring about the end of another day...

But the promise that somewhere out there, hope would shine in their hearts brighter than any light, and as brave as a young and free-spirited wolf.

**The End**

* * *

The song that Phelan sings is Secrets by One Republic. Thought it would be a good way to finish where I started with a bang.

Well, that's it. The Darkness Comes has reached its end at last. :)

I can't believe it's come to this, but I have so many mixed feelings just writing this...

Thank you, one and all, to everyone who has told me to keep on going with this story, who have enjoyed it and have stayed with Phelan and Soron and the others all the way through their battles. You guys are my greatest readers ever - and I'm really grateful for that.

Oh yes, I wish to shout out a special thanks to **Pontiac 56, Periosha **and **Victory's Raconteur** - for adding their unique and astounding ideas into this story and giving it a flavour of their own. You guys rock my world, and I look forward to working with you again and again and again. :)

Don't stop reading and reviewing, and I'll see you again on the writer's field very soon (I hope)! :D

~ Wind


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